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The Pretty One
The Pretty One
The Pretty One
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The Pretty One is a 2013 comedy drama film directed and written by Jenée LaMarque. The film stars Zoe Kazan, Jake Johnson, Ron Livingston, Sterling Beaumon and John Carroll Lynch.[1]

The Pretty One
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJenée LaMarque
Written byJenée LaMarque
Produced byRobin Schorr
Steven J. Berger
Starring
CinematographyPolly Morgan
Edited byKiran Pallegadda
Music byJulian Wass
Production
companies
Provenance Pictures
RCR Pictures
Distributed byDada Films
Release dates
  • April 20, 2013 (2013-04-20) (TFF)
  • February 7, 2014 (2014-02-07) (limited)
[2]
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$13,769[3]

Plot

[edit]

Laurel and Audrey (Zoe Kazan) are identical twins. Although they look the same on the outside, their personalities are very different, with Audrey being popular, sophisticated and successful while Laurel is shy, childlike, awkward and still living at home with their widowed father (John Carroll Lynch) and his new fiancée, and helping him with his work of reproducing famous paintings. At their birthday party, Audrey persuades Laurel to come and live with her. In preparation for the move, Laurel gets a new haircut that makes her look like her sister. Returning from the hair salon, they get in a severe car crash together, and when Laurel wakes up in the hospital, she is informed that her sister has died. Suffering from post-traumatic amnesia, Laurel doesn't remember who she is at first. Due to her new haircut and the fact that the deceased's body was burned beyond recognition following the accident, everybody assumes she's actually Audrey. The morning of Laurel's funeral, she remembers her actual identity but decides to keep everyone thinking that Laurel was the one who died in the crash, especially when she sees that nobody at her funeral has anything to say about her.

Laurel flies back to the city where Audrey used to live and work as a real estate agent. There, she meets her late sister's tenant, Basel (Jake Johnson), who is confused about Audrey's sudden change of personality, because Audrey was never nice to him before. While posing as her sister, she learns that Audrey had a married boyfriend, Charles (Ron Livingston), but broke up with him before the accident. Laurel continues to spend more time with Basel and Audrey's best friend and coworker Claudia (Frankie Shaw), who grows suspicious due to Audrey's change of behavior and sudden lack of skills at work.

Eventually, Laurel and Basel fall in love and begin a relationship. When she finally feels that she is adapting to her new life, Laurel accidentally introduces Charles as her ex-boyfriend to her boss Edith (Sabrina Lloyd), not knowing that Charles is actually Edith's husband, and getting immediately fired as a result. Shortly after this, Basel proposes to Laurel saying that he has loved her since they first met, which to Laurel means he loves her as Audrey, not as herself. Unable to continue deceiving everyone, Laurel reveals the truth to Basel, but he is devastated by her deception and breaks up with her.

Laurel returns home to her father and confesses her impersonation to him. He is shocked, while at the same time being relieved that the daughter he felt closer to is still alive. There is another funeral, this time for Audrey. After talking to Claudia, and receiving encouragement from her father after showing him her original paintings, Laurel eventually comes to terms with her own insecurities about being the less worthy sister. She returns to the city as herself and looks for Basel, who's still upset but also still in love with her. In the end he forgives her; they share a kiss and start making plans for the future.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

On March 30, 2012, Zoe Kazan and Jake Johnson joined the cast of The Pretty One to play lead roles, Jenée LaMarque wrote the script and she made her directorial debut of her own 2011 black listed script. The filming started on June 1, 2012.[4] Sterling Beaumon also joined the cast in the middle of June as Hunter, a womanizer who is sleeping with his former babysitter.[6] Later on 22 June, Ron Livingston joined the cast to play Charles, Robin Schorr and Steven Berger produced the film.[5]

Filming

[edit]

The filming began in early June 2012 in Los Angeles.[4][5]

Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of 34 critics' reviews are positive.[7]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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The Pretty One

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Pretty One is a American comedy-drama written and directed by Jenée LaMarque in her feature directorial debut. The story centers on identical twin sisters Laurel and Audrey, with the shy and reclusive Laurel assuming her outgoing sister's identity following Audrey's fatal car accident, leading to a exploration of self-reinvention and deception. Starring in the dual lead roles of the twins, the film also features as Basel, as the sisters' father Charles, and supporting performances by . LaMarque's screenplay, originally selected for the 2011 Black List of unproduced Hollywood scripts, delves into themes of identity, family dynamics, and personal growth through a mix of humor and pathos. Produced by companies including Provenance Pictures with a runtime of 90 minutes, the film received an R rating for some sexual content and language. It had its world premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival on April 20, before a limited theatrical release in the United States on February 7, 2014, distributed by Dada Films. Critically, The Pretty One holds a 50% approval rating on based on 34 reviews, with praise for Kazan's nuanced performance in the dual roles but mixed responses to the film's tonal shifts and pacing. Audience reception has been similarly divided, earning a 46% score from over 2,500 users on the site and a 6.3 out of 10 rating from more than 10,600 voters. The movie grossed a modest $13,769 at the domestic , reflecting its independent production scale, and later became available for streaming on platforms like and .

Narrative and cast

Plot summary

The Pretty One centers on identical twin sisters, Laurel and , who lead starkly contrasting lives while sharing the care of their widowed father in rural . Laurel is shy, introverted, and largely homebound, tending to household duties and rarely venturing out, while is outgoing, stylish, and professionally successful as a in . During a drive on their birthday, the sisters are involved in a severe car accident when their crashes; Audrey is killed instantly, and Laurel survives but suffers temporary that leaves her disoriented about her identity. In the hospital, a nurse gives Laurel a haircut and to treat her facial injuries, inadvertently making her resemble Audrey. Mistaken for her deceased sister by medical staff and family, Laurel initially goes along with the confusion and decides to impersonate Audrey after attending what turns out to be her own , where she overhears unflattering remarks about her former life from relatives and her father's fiancée. Embracing the opportunity for reinvention, Laurel moves into Audrey's trendy East Los Angeles apartment and assumes her sister's job at the real estate agency, where she navigates awkward social interactions with colleagues like Claudia and handles client showings with growing, if clumsy, confidence. She also encounters Audrey's recent ex-boyfriend, , learning of their amid his complicated personal life, but finds herself drawn instead to Audrey's slacker tenant, , a laid-back tenant living in the garage whom Audrey had disliked and planned to evict. As Laurel bonds with Basel over shared interests and vulnerabilities, a genuine romance develops between them, contrasting with her strained attempts to fit into Audrey's more superficial social circle. Tensions escalate when Laurel's father visits the city, prompting suspicions from Claudia and forcing Laurel to confront the deception. In the climax, she confesses her true identity to Basel, who feels betrayed and ends their relationship, and later reveals the truth to her father during a family confrontation that exposes long-held resentments and the sisters' codependent dynamic. Ultimately, Laurel rejects the pretense, returning to the city as herself; she reconciles with Basel, who accepts her authenticity, and begins to forge a balanced life that honors her own strengths while mending family ties.

Cast and characters

Zoe Kazan stars in the dual lead roles of identical twin sisters Laurel and , embodying contrasting personalities that drive the film's central dynamics. Laurel is portrayed as an introverted, awkward, and dependent young woman who has remained at home, while Audrey represents the confident, independent, and outgoing "pretty one" with a vibrant social life. Jake Johnson plays Basel, the charming and laid-back tenant in Audrey's building who becomes Laurel's love interest, characterized by his sweet, sarcastic, and handsome demeanor as a bohemian type. Ron Livingston portrays Charles, Audrey's self-absorbed ex-boyfriend, depicted as a narcissistic figure focused on his own ambitions. In supporting roles, appears as Frank, the twins' grieving father, providing a grounded paternal presence amid family tensions. plays Claudia, Audrey's best friend and coworker at the real estate agency. plays Hunter, a womanizing client adding awkward social dynamics through his behavior.

Production

Development

The Pretty One marked the feature directorial debut of Jenée LaMarque, who also penned the original inspired by her personal experiences with loss, particularly the of her best friend shortly after college graduation, which infused the story with themes of identity, self-worth, and emotional growth during one's twenties. The script centers on the classic twin impersonation trope, where the shy protagonist assumes the life of her more outgoing identical twin following a tragic accident, balancing comedic mistaken identities with dramatic explorations of grief and reinvention. The project was formally announced on , , with LaMarque attached to direct her own script and producers Robin Schorr and Steven J. Berger on board to oversee the low-budget independent production. Early key milestones included the attachment of lead actors , playing the dual roles of the twins, and as the love interest, both secured in early to anchor the film's intimate character-driven narrative.

Filming

Principal photography for The Pretty One commenced on June 1, 2012, in , , with additional filming in nearby areas such as Piru and Pasadena to capture authentic residential neighborhoods and urban environments. The production faced notable logistical challenges due to lead actress Zoe Kazan's portrayal of identical twin sisters Laurel and , requiring innovative techniques to depict their interactions. Scenes featuring both characters were primarily shot during the first 10 days in Piru, utilizing split-screen methods where Kazan performed against a , necessitating precise matching of eyelines, timing, and across separate plates. A , Katherine Macanufo, was employed for certain technical shots, particularly in a climactic sequence, to facilitate the complex visual composition. Cinematographer Polly Morgan employed a character-driven approach, using framing to emphasize isolation and intimacy, such as leaving ample around Laurel's figure to underscore her emotional emptiness. Editing, overseen by Kiran Pallegadda, was finalized in early 2013 to meet the film's submission deadline for the .

Release

Premiere and distribution

The Pretty One had its world premiere on April 20, 2013, at the Tribeca Film Festival in . The screening featured the cast and crew, including stars and , and marked the debut of director Jenée LaMarque's feature film. Following its festival debut, the film received limited theatrical distribution in the United States, opening on February 7, 2014, in select theaters in New York and through Dada Films. This rollout targeted major markets with a focus on independent cinema venues, such as Cinema Village in New York. Internationally, the film saw limited availability, primarily through screenings on the festival circuit in 2013. No wide overseas theatrical release occurred, confining its global exposure largely to audiences. Marketing efforts ramped up ahead of the U.S. theatrical release, with the official trailer debuting online on January 15, 2014. The promotional materials highlighted Zoe Kazan's dual role as identical twin sisters and the film's blend of and identity themes to attract audiences interested in quirky indie dramas. Digital and streaming distribution followed the theatrical run, with the film becoming available for and digital purchase starting June 3, 2014. By 2015, it expanded to major streaming platforms, including and , broadening access for home viewers.

Box office and home media

The Pretty One had a limited in the United States on February 7, 2014, earning $13,769 at the domestic . This figure underscores the typical financial constraints faced by independent films with restricted distribution and budgets. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 3, 2014, by . Digital downloads became available around the same time, shortly following the end of its brief theatrical run. By the mid-2010s, The Pretty One was accessible via digital platforms including . As of 2025, it remains available for rental or purchase on services such as , Apple TV, and , though it is not currently offered on major ad-supported streaming platforms. Home video sales have been modest, reflecting the film's niche appeal despite the rising popularity of its cast members from television series like New Girl.

Reception

Critical response

The Pretty One received mixed reviews from critics, who praised lead actress Zoe Kazan's dual performance while noting inconsistencies in tone and execution. On , the film holds a 50% approval rating based on 34 reviews, with the consensus stating that its far-fetched premise is carried out with sincerity, resulting in an amusing, ironic, and thoughtful outcome. The score is 53 out of 100, based on 14 critics, reflecting a mixed reception for this indie dramedy. Christy Lemire of awarded the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, commending for breathing fresh life into the familiar twin impersonation trope through her nuanced portrayal of the siblings. Similarly, The Hollywood Reporter's review from the highlighted Kazan's waiflike charms and excellent effect in depicting the mismatched twins, emphasizing her central role in the story's emotional core. Critics frequently lauded 's versatility in differentiating the introverted Laurel from her outgoing sister , as well as the romantic chemistry between Kazan and co-star , which added warmth to the narrative. The film's exploration of identity, , and the between the twins' lives was seen as a thoughtful examination of personal growth amid deception. However, common criticisms included a predictable plot that relied too heavily on the impersonation gimmick, leading to uneven pacing and tonal shifts between quirky comedy and . Supporting characters were often described as underdeveloped, serving primarily as plot devices rather than fully realized figures, and some reviewers found the overall style overly whimsical without sufficient depth.

Accolades

The Pretty One received modest recognition at film festivals following its 2013 premiere, primarily highlighting emerging talent in independent cinema. At the Tribeca Film Festival, the film was selected for the World Narrative Competition, nominating it for the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, though it did not win. Director Jenée LaMarque was also nominated for the inaugural Prize, awarded to promising female filmmakers with a distinctive voice, but the honor went to for Farah Goes Bang. The film earned wins at the Savannah Film Festival later that year, where it took home the audience-voted Best Feature award and LaMarque received Best Director for her debut effort. These accolades underscored LaMarque's promise as an emerging director in the indie landscape, with additional festival screenings at events like the contributing to its circuit buzz. It received no nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards, despite the film's indie credentials and Zoe Kazan's critically noted dual performance, which garnered praise for its emotional depth in festival and review circuits. As of 2025, the film has not received major awards, remaining a niche favorite among indie enthusiasts.

References

  1. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_pretty_one_2013
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140577/
  3. https://www.culturaldaily.com/the-pretty-one/
  4. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-cast-and-crew-attend-the-the-pretty-one-world-premiere-news-photo/167109094
  5. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2140577/
  6. https://www.netflix.com/title/70274604
  7. https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-One-Ron-Livingston/dp/B00JWVUMRY
  8. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-pretty-one-2014
  9. https://theplaylist.net/review-engaging-and-sweet-the-pretty-one-starring-zoe-kazan-jake-johnson-20140206/
  10. http://ssmuviss.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-pretty-one-story-of-finding-oneself.html
  11. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/pretty-one-tribeca-review-444000/
  12. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/174337-the-pretty-one?language=en-US
  13. https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/movies/jenee-lamarque-interview-416451.html
  14. http://thelastreel.blogspot.com/2012/03/kazan-is-pretty-one-johnson-is-not.html
  15. https://www.movieinsider.com/m10072/the-pretty-one
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140577/locations/
  17. https://moveablefest.com/zoe-kazan-jenee-lamarque-pretty-one/
  18. https://collider.com/zoe-kazan-the-pretty-one-interview/
  19. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140577/fullcredits/
  20. https://moveablefest.com/pretty-one-kazan-review/
  21. https://www.screendaily.com/distribution/latido-picks-up-seed/5064515.article
  22. https://www.ioncinema.com/news/acquisitions-indie-films/dada-films-sees-double-with-jenee-lamarque-the-pretty-one
  23. https://www.screendaily.com/the-pretty-one/5054349.article
  24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNx_R6LdB9o
  25. https://thehollywoodnews.com/2014/01/17/johnson-kazan-star-trailer-quirky-indie-pretty-one/
  26. https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/6730/the-pretty-one
  27. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-pretty-one
  28. https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-One-Zoe-Kazan/dp/B00K0SJM42
  29. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-pretty-one
  30. https://uproxx.com/hitfix/review-zoe-kazan-gives-a-radiant-dual-performance-in-uber-charming-the-pretty-one/
  31. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-pretty-one
  32. https://moviemezzanine.com/the-pretty-one-review/
  33. https://www.tribecafilm.com/press-center/press-releases/2013_TRIBECA_FILM_FESTIVAL_ANNOUNCES_WORLD_NARRATIVE_AND_DOCUMENTARY_COMPETITION_SELECTIONS_PLUS_OUT-OF-COMPETITION_VIEWPOINTS_TITLES
  34. https://www.tribecafilm.com/press-center/press-releases/2013-tribeca-film-festival-announces-the-nora-ephron-prize
  35. https://www.shootonline.com/spw/director-jenee-lamarque-joins-alteredla-commercial-representation/
  36. https://mubi.com/en/us/films/the-pretty-one
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