The transformation of a pretty woman

Rating: 7/10 (27 February 2011)

Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) is a businessman who specialises in taking over companies and then selling them off piece by piece. On a business trip in Los Angeles, he has gotten lost and takes on detour on Hollywood Boulevard, asking for directions. While he did so, he encountered a beautiful prostitute in Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) who is willing to assist him in getting to his destination.
The morning after, Edward hires Vivian to stay with him for a week as an escort for social events. As the week went, little by little, their feelings for each other grew. Along the way, Vivian has also being transformed in her appearance, which blew Edward away. But at the same time, the time spent with Vivian has also changed Edward's outlook on life which Edward's attorney of 10 years in Philip Stuckley (Jason Alexander) accuses her of. Philip tried to rape her before Edward arrived in time, punching his attorney and forcing him to leave with his belongings.
While Edward tended to Vivian and tried to convince her to stay with him, she refused and returns to the apartment she shares with her friend Kit (Laura San Giacomo), preparing to leave for San Francisco in the hopes of a better life than the one she is having. Edward then got into the car which took her home.
And instead of heading for the airport, he went to her apartment. Despite his fear of heights, he climbs up the fire escape with a rose clutch between his teeth and the intention to woo her. The limping from the limousine, climbing the outside ladder and steps...all are the visual metaphors of what Vivian had told Edward about her childhood fantasy. The knight on a white horse rescuing the princess from the tower. It ended with the two kissing on the fire escape.
It was the film to have said to really launch Julia Roberts's career, and that is not that bad considering it has always been considered as one of the best modern romantic comedy films. And the accompany songs to the film also compliments well, with Roy Orbison's song which inspired the film stands out in the scene which Julia Roberts's character went on a shopping spree with a totally transformed Vivian from the first time where the salesgirls of the shop who snubbed her.