The Makeover (2013 TV Movie) User Reviews

The Makeover - Light and Funny

[drudge1 · 7/10 · 2 March 2014]

The Makeover is itself a remake of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and the musical version of that play, My Fair Lady, but with an interesting twist; the genders of the main characters in the film have been switched. Set in Boston, The Makeover takes much of its initial energy from the contrast between the varied dialects used by the upper and lower classes of that city's population.

The film is a fun romantic comedy that is reasonably well acted and photographed. It could have been improved by continuing the musical score through the fades between scenes instead of leaving them silent, but this probably was not considered practical with a made for TV movie.

Shooting in Boston

[boblipton · 5/10 · 5 February 2013]

This sex-change version of George Bernard Shaw's PYGMALION (best known in its musical version of MY FAIR LADY) seems a trifle tired. It works best when it moves furthest from its source; the standout character is Elliot Doolittle's sister, although Frances Fisher as his mother is obviously having a lot of fun with the bowdlerized version of Alfie Doolittle. Julia Stiles as Higgins seems to be clueless about how things actually work and David Walton as Elliot seems to go from a mush-mouthed Southie to someone whose greatest problem with language seems to be when to use "whom" without much struggle.

However, it's a great story and despite a few missteps in the script -- intended to make it fit the standard Hallmark romcom format -- it has some great moments of actual comedy. If, unlike its original, it does not start out all head and let the emotions of the matter sneak in later, that is a choice I can understand.

One particularly praiseworthy fact is that there are a lot of shots that show how clearly this one is set in Boston, and not just the typical setting shots, but real places that someone familiar with the city would choose. I always take special pleasure in seeing things like that in a movie.

Gonna, cudda, wudda, shudda, wanna, doya

[cliverphmccombe · 6/10 · 5 June 2018]

What a shame. The idea was good, how sad that insufficient attention was paid to the dialogue. We have Hannah, the supposedly speech perfect politician, who can't stop saying "gonna" (9 minutes into the film - "...and the school board is gonna visit..."). There is no such word in the English language. I'm sorry Americans but all such words are 100% slang. The film is however ultimately saved by the lovely and eminently watchable Julia Stiles.

Adorable and funny

[vchimpanzee · 25 March 2013]

I was in the hospital and high on drugs when I saw this. That also explains my delay in reviewing it since during my recovery I had limited time online and there were other priorities.

Even though it felt like I was dreaming this episode, I still remember some details. David Walton did a very good Boston accent and he was quite appealing as an obviously blue-collar character. And yet Elliot wanted more from life than just delivering beer. An executive position was open in his company, and the uptight but still adorable Hannah tricked him into letting her train him to talk and act properly for that position. Only her goal was to replace the deceased congressman she had wanted to see elected. Elliot did very well in his transition to a sophisticated executive, but did he want the job of congressman? Well, you'll just have to watch for yourself. And there appears to be romantic potential here as well.

Not quite up to the usual Hallmark Hall of Fame standards, but it would have made a very good Lifetime movie.

I liked it

[dawalker-54320 · 7/10 · 8 May 2022]

Well worth watching. Many people watch movies looking for things not to like about them. I watch movies and hope to enjoy them or not. If you like the characters, most times you like the movie. I liked all the characters in this movie. I enjoyed the story too.

Quite good

[jewelch · 6/10 · 9 February 2021]

The result is an adorable and faithful update that spoofs politics, television and Boston while making underlying points about education, class conflict and being oneself. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 2/8/2021

It's all about character - MAJOR SPOILERS HERE

[joywriter19 · 2/10 · 27 January 2014]

David Walton plays a delightful 'heart of gold' young man with a keen sense for people. Julia Stiles plays a smart, razor-edged-personality politician who lives in her head. She is a judgmental young woman.

It amazes me John Gray, the director, was blind to the 'heroine's' lack of character growth. He didn't show her changing despite her being warned by others who love her. That's all the movie needed to make it heart-warming and worth caring about.

It makes no sense that Walton's character fell in love with her. Her mean-spiritedness is endless. She doesn't feel others pain at her sarcastic, hurtful comments or their hurts and losses. She never truly apologizes. It's a disheartening movie, in that a wonderful, talented young man attaches himself to a smart, driven woman who lacks empathy and emotional self-awareness. I found it a downer to watch.

Julia Stiles deserved a better vehicle for her acting talent and she ought to have fought for a more teachable, lovable character. Walton ought to have demanded that, too, for his own character's sake. Camryn Manheim, too, was funny, played a good friend to Stiles, but didn't demand enough change, either. A waste of a decent plot.

About influencer and influencee

[carmo-5 · 6/10 · 13 March 2023]

The Makeover (2013) is a Hallmark film and by knowing that, even before starting to watch it, we can already infer that it will follow the Hallmark line of films that can invariably be characterized as: cute, well behaved and with a happy ending. While this is so about The Makeover, the film has some other ingredients that make it a little more interesting than some other Hallmark films, particularly the underlying discussion about the relationship between verbal expression and the characterization of the social group an individual belongs to. The title is very suggestive and characterizes the film well.

Julia Stiles character is so mean. It's hard to watch the movie because you are constantly wondering when is she going to start acting like a likable person.

[mchthom78 · 2/10 · 7 April 2017]

Julia Stiles character was too cold, mean, and uncaring. I didn't enjoy the movie because of her. The writers should have allowed her character to change into someone more likable. I like that the movie was set in Boston. It was very​ authentic. I don't understand why Julia's character had to remain so callous during the entire movie. I don't recall her smiling at all.

A reworking that finds its footing

[valkyber · 7/10 · 1 December 2023]

There are a very limited number of core story ideas, so it pays to steal from the best. This other arrangement of Shaw lifts its thematic framework entire, but turns the original Higgins' bungalow with its interloper into the ground floor of what could become a family home, if our reluctant flatmates can get their act together. In a.manner never made explicit by one main character to the other in Pygmalion or MFL, these two people can assist each other to scramble free of the ruts into which they have trudged, and neither one has the whip hand which society (in GBS' original) bestows on Henry Higgins. A surprising number of the supporting cast also have a vibrancy which says they will still be here when the camera leaves.

Hallmark...what happened?

[solaiesu · 3/10 · 18 July 2018]

I'm just going to say it. I love Hallmark movies...mostly. I know they're cheesy but I can't help myself. The only thing that truly annoys me is when they end in the characters kissing and we don't even get 30 secs of real closure. How many kissing endings do we have to watch?! It's getting old and ridiculous. But I digress. Let's talk about The Makeover specifically. Bottom line...cute premise, good acting, fun Boston accents. Total crap movie.

There's one reason and one reason only for the "total crap movie" label.... Julia Stiles' character. (Let's face it, I feel like this is the only character she plays). There's no denying that Julia Stiles is a great actress. She is wonderful, for sure and for certain. BUT this Hannah Higgins character is HORRIBLE. She is completely unlikeable. Arrogant, narcissistic, downtrodden, rude, argumentative. She has no arc, says the most horrible things to a really likeable and adorable man who's trying his hardest, and NEVER apologizes, even though she goes to him multiple times to apologize. She just ends up blaming him and everyone else around her. I couldn't root for her, I didn't even want to watch her. There wasn't a hint of chemistry or romance and at the end when they kissed, I was just left feeling grossed out. I kept thinking, "Run for the hills man"!

At first I really liked the change in story (from the classic Eliza Doolittle version) but the problem is...the original Higgins was a much older man and was NOT a romantic interest. Higgins wasn't very likeable in the original but you kind of saw him as a tough father figure. If you're going to make Higgins a romantic character, you'd better tone down the negative character traits or for goodness sake, GIVE HER A CHARACTER ARC!! Everyone loves a good character arc. The male lead was to nice and wonderful for us to ever believe he'd fall for a shrew like Hannah Higgins.

The makeover was sweet.

[cindb451 · 8/10 · 30 January 2013]

I have to confess I began watching with my son because I worked as background but I found myself forgetting about that and just smiling.. You have a sweet family movie with a moral center, talented and very smart actors. It wasn't preachy but fun... It made you think but not in a negative way. I loved the use of Boston landmarks in this.

We need more movies like this. Yes Boston does have people who talk and act that way. Boston is filled with a diverse population and this movie just sampled a small part of it. Yes I love my zombie flicks as well but this is a nice breath of fresh air.. BTW everyone onset was nice and very professional.

Waste of time

[LtlHippo · 1/10 · 14 March 2015]

I really think this movie is a huge waste of time. Julia was so unlikable in this movie. I kept waiting for her character to redeem herself, to grow, to have some likability but it never happened. There was no chemistry between any of the characters. I hate the way they lied to Elliott in the beginning. I think someone as ambitious as Julia's character was, she would do a little transforming and run for office again. The mom was way over the top. I loved the location though, Boston looks like a wonderful town. The sister was funny. She was the best part of the movie. Make earrings out of your kidneys. LOL So we have the trademark kiss at the end. Even that didn't feel right. Reminded me of the Al and Tipper Gore kiss on stage. We know how THAT story ended. This movie just missed the mark. Sorry.

Not a romantic movie at all

[pottsb29 · 22 April 2013]

I remember watching The Makeover earlier this year. Hannah, one of the main characters, has lost her bid to be elected to Congress - This isn't particularly surprising, since she's not a likable character. In an attempt to advance her agenda, she looks for someone who may appeal more to Boston's voters - A beer vendor named Elliott, and works hard on turning him from someone who is unrefined (and has a very strong accent) into a successful politician. You might think the process would change both characters, but the only one who really shows much change is Elliott - Hannah never becomes likable, and it's surprising that Elliott still wants anything to do with her (she can be so mean to him, even later in the movie). Unlike some of Hallmark's other movies, there is no romance is this one, or any connection between Hannah and Elliott (the characters kiss at the end only because that's the way a Hallmark movie has to end).

Stiles as a Narcissist, not a pleasant movie

[tomas-344-902574 · 2/10 · 3 March 2013]

Honestly I don't know how this movie could be on Hallmark except that the 'charm' was of that caliber. I will say that this movie is hardly a romance except for the last 30 seconds where the two main characters kiss. There is ZERO chemistry or romance buildup or flirting in the entire movie.

Near the beginning of the movie there was some hint at maybe there being some remote chance of a romance story line with the male lead getting a makeover from beer man neanderthal with a speech impediment - to a handsome suave man.

None of the romance storyline really developed but there were contrived hints along the line of "you need to tell him how you feel" nonsense that felt so out of place.

Elliot was a very likable guy, somewhat lower class blue collar fellow from Bah-stun. The 'makeover' context was more about his speech and mannerisms from beer vendor to politician.

Julia Stiles' character, however, was the prototypical narcissist. Perfectionist 'linguist' that feels the need to correct everybody who is the slightest bit 'unrefined'. Unfortunately, even with my wholehearted attempt at suspending judgment of her character, she was just not a likable person. She never showed any redeeming qualities, no growth, no kindness. For someone who is altruistic enough to pioneer experimental educational techniques for special needs children, she was the prototypical hag. There were several points where she was in a position to apologize and never remotely did, always blaming something else.

It would have been nice to see some sort of emotion out of her, maybe a moment of vulnerability. But there was none. And that's honestly all I needed to like her, but it failed miserably. She was beyond a doubt the ultimate narcissist, and put forth unredeemable abuse onto Elliot for his lack of 'refinedness'. And he kept overlooking how she was just a total witch. There really is no other way to put it. It's abuse, and just because the main character is a woman, doesn't mean her horrid behavior is ignorable.

All it would have taken was a moment of vulnerability, but the writers somehow just pushed things forward and patched the conflict with trivial dialogue. It made no sense. Stiles' character insulted Elliot several times, with bitter cruelty, and somehow he didn't have the sense to cut her out of his life. The whole thing was totally unrealistic and the writers seemed to try to get us to want to like Stiles' character although that was never remotely accomplished.

The storyline is cheezy, and the idealization of politics (actually changing something good) is far fetched (not realistic with how corporate-focused politicians are), but that is not the point. I would have enjoyed the film better if Elliot with his likability had the chance to teach Stiles' character something about being human or being a decent person. But the film cut out too quickly and somehow got a moment to sneak a kiss in which I found far contrived.

I did, however, get some insight into how women can be in politics, that it takes a certain amount of emotional detachment and need to control, perhaps a hint of narcissism. It takes a certain absence of moral and emotional character to be in politics. It's a bit expected of men, in our society, but for women to be into politics (and not all soft- hearted), it seems to require a certain self-centered focus that narcissism provides. In that sense, Stiles played the role of would-be female politician well. I can somewhat understand how someone like Hillary Clinton could want to be in politics, what kind of person she is underneath (really not a good person), and how a politician's wife can overlook "intern sex" scandals. Because there's a bigger agenda overall, that morality, family, etc are trivial in comparison. Julia Stiles' character was thankfully a morally ground politician (how few they are) and cared about real issues (education, crime, etc). But that didn't mean she was likable as a person or worthy of romance from the other main character.

Julia Stiles playing a prototypical narcissist is honestly something that is going to be hard to shake from my memory. It's going to distort any further movies I see with her in it, unfortunately.

Why is this movie rated so low? It deserves better! 8 Star rating for me!!

[huggibear · 8/10 · 10 April 2017]

Wow! What a wonderful romantic comedy this was and still is, even though IMDb doesn't have it as a romance movie. The acting was top notch! No part of this movie was displeasing, except the Boston accent at the beginning, but thankful that part was short-lived. I adored the script very much! I adored the leading actor and the leading actress as well. What a cute couple! The Dolittle mom was something else. Come on Hallmark movie watchers and raters, this movie was great! The Boston accent was the ONLY piece of this movie that wasn't my perfect cup of tea. Otherwise, everything else was so enjoyable including the Boston scenery. Watch it at least once and if you really like it, come here and give it a better rating.

Very enjoyable movie.

[RobbieSDA · 8/10 · 27 July 2015]

With a tendency to be quite picky about the movies I like, I watched "The Makeover" with some hesitation, not knowing what to expect.

The movie was well made, with good actors. It never felt like a cheaply made or poorly acted movie. If I were to pick any character that I least liked (not necessarily for their acting, but possibly including that), it would have to be the 'mother'.

The story moved along well, without feeling like it was dragging or moving too fast, either. Well balanced.

Movies that are too sappy, or over-the-top romantic, are not to my liking, and was glad that this one was easy on that front.

The only complaint, if I was going to point something out that took away from the movie for me, it would be the one bad time incongruity that I believe occurs in the movie. After '5 weeks' for the office staff not to know about any changes with one of the main characters was lacking in realism. People talk, and they simply would have already known. Period. Without this flaw, I would have given this movie a solid 9/10, but with it, only 8/10.

You Can Make this Makeover Any Time ****

[edwagreen · 10/10 · 8 February 2013]

Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle, move over. In the reversal of sex roles, the female losing candidate in a congressional race attempts to make over a beer distributor who she has insulted on the night of her defeat. He needs her help for a major promotion and when the candidate who beat her, dies in a freak accident, she decides to promote him for Congress.

It's wonderful how he learns to speak well and knows how to work an audience. It's also wonderful seeing how he takes the high road by refusing to submit damaging evidence that he has against his opponent's wife.

Frances Fischer steals the scenes she is in by playing our male hero's common mother, very common that is. She is often hysterical to watch.

While they both share the common thread in being defeated, this is also a story of two people with different backgrounds falling in love.

A wonderful film. I was so sorry when it ended.

Very cute remake of 'Pygmalion'

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 24 March 2021]

It's not marketed this way, but the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie The Makeover is actually a modern remake of Pygmalion. That makes the fourth modern remake of a classic Julia Stiles has made! This movie is actually very clever, bringing to life a new side of Henry Higgins: as a woman.

Julia stars as Hannah Higgins. Her partner in her consulting firm is Colleen Pickering (played by Camryn Manheim). Hannah is a failed Congressional candidate who, on the night of her concession, overhears the appalling low-class manner of speech uttered by a beer delivery man, Eliot Doolittle (played by David Walton). She insults his English and makes fun of him, telling him that if he improved his speech he could really make something of himself. The next morning, he shows up at her office and offers to pay her for elocution lessons. On a bet with Pickering as to who gets the corner office, Higgins takes Doolittle on. The first stop on the "makeover" is at a salon, where Higgins plucks off Doolittle's grungy baseball cap and orders the hairdresser to burn it. Isn't that cute?

Since I acted in Pygmalion, I'm intimately acquainted with the script. Those who don't know it (or My Fair Lady) very well might not grasp just how clever it is. Instead of Alfred Doolittle, the drunken, disreputable father, there's Allie Doolittle (played by Frances Fisher), a drunken, jailbird mother. From start to finish, there are cute and clever similarities that will make theatre fans smile. My favorite has to be the replacement of "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain." Since the story takes place in Boston, Doolittle has a thick Boston accent. Higgins tries to teach him to say, "I parked my car on the far side of the yard." It's hilarious!

All in Stiles!

[mmunier · 17 April 2016]

Give me Julia Stiles in any sauce and I'll have it. I walked into this movie half way through it at lunch time when I switched on the "box" and there she was, I soon realised I had seen that movie before and loved it. Not well educated or with a very poor memory I always have trouble to associate these with Pygmalion, I probably never read anyway. But I do remember...was it Rex Harrison and the Spanish rain.... Never mind I just enjoyed this plot for what it was. As for Pygmalion, well if it has not existed that story might still be possible, and likable too, why not! It's amazing how people react differently - This guy can't believe it's possible for 2 people so different to fall in love. But one has to realise what people portrait is not necessary who they are, they may have shaped themselves through a variety of influences. However their inner personality remains to emerge... Sometimes I enjoy (in a variety of ways) reading these commentaries as much as watching the movies themselves. I'm not sure why but watching David Walton I thought I was watching Jim Carrey a little more behaved, Oh well! Oh what the story is about? hmmm it's a fairly nice story with a nice ending *SPOILER* Oh again, I should have put this at the front of the sentence. Damn!

8/10 Hallmark Movie

[unicorndog · 8/10 · 24 June 2018]

I like the thought of the film, I just hate the smart shaming and sexist remarks. Maybe it is true, people vote someone who's only likeable in action.

Also Hannah's friend Colleen is so annoying. She's no help or whatsoever. Ruined the film for me, i didn't like the part/scenes when she's in it. For Julia Stiles and David Walton, it was a good match.