One of the most unexpected blockbusters of the early 1990s.

Rating: 8/10 (18 July 2010)

In Los Angeles, a successful asset stripper (Richard Gere) is charmed by a perky prostitute (Julia Roberts) he hires for a night as an escort, invites her to spend a week with him, and falls for her.
Pretty Woman is a modern fairy tale with shades of Pygmalion, so deftly written and directed and with such a radiant lead actress that it became a huge hit. One can find fault with the dubious sexual politics on display here, but it says much for Roberts's overwhelming screen charm that audiences have overlooked that aspect of the story. This was the role that kick-started, and even defined her stellar career. The film was followed by a string of similar romantic comedies, including Runaway Bride (1999), which re-united Gere and Roberts under the direction of Garry Marshall once again.