Is there anything more satisfying or iconic than a good makeover montage?
A staple of the classic teen movie or rom-com, watching “ugly duckling” characters transform with the playing of peppy music and trying on of many, many outfits often becomes our favorite part of the story! The makeover montage usually signals a major change in the character’s life and can usher in feelings of confidence and determination for both character and viewer. We the viewers see ourselves in those frizzy-haired, glasses-wearing, braces-having protagonists and wish we had some of those well-meaning friends to plop us down in a chair and attack us with flurries of curling irons, makeup brushes, and mountains of trendy clothes (Just me? Can’t be).
Of course, the ultimate message of any good makeover montage-having film is that you should just be yourself; that what’s on the inside, who you are as a person, is much more important than what’s on the outside, no matter how glamorous. You don’t need to change who you are to be worthy of love and respect. Your worth is not dependent on how perfectly your hair is coiffed or how in vogue your wardrobe is.
Regardless of the inherent silliness and sometimes cringey or problematic motives behind the transformation, you’ve got to admit – the makeover montage trope is playfully enjoyable and endlessly fun to watch.
Below is a collection of movies that include some truly magnificent makeover montages, perfect for your next movie night. I hope you enjoy! All titles listed are available with your WPPL card, either in our Blu-Ray/DVD collection or online via our digital platforms like Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy.
The classic, timeless, incredible Shakespeare retelling (did you know it’s a modernized version of The Taming of the Shrew? You do now!) that sees our beloved main character Cher undergo a transformation of the internal self, after the external transformation of her new friend Tai doesn’t pay off quite like she thinks it will.
Andy, our delightfully relatable protagonist who thinks this fashion “stuff” has nothing to do with her, gets the makeover of the century in the cavernous closet of the fabulous fashion magazine she works for (that closet makes a regular appearance in my dreams, along with Meryl Streep glaring at me through her glasses, saying “That’s all”). As the story progresses, Andy realizes that behind the glitz, glamour, and haute couture of the fashion world, there’s a hidden layer of grit, ruthlessness, and sacrifice that she’s not so sure she’s ready to dive into.
Gracie Hart, a rough n’ tough FBI agent, is tasked with infiltrating the Miss United States pageant after a terrorist threat, forcing her to transform from tough cop to beauty queen with the help of a pompous consultant. As she navigates the challenges of her undercover role, Gracie must balance her FBI duties with her newfound pageant persona.
(Now this movie – this movie is completely amazing. And don’t skip the sequel!)
*sigh* I love this movie so much.
Toula is a quiet, devoted daughter in a big, crazy Greek family. Working in her father’s restaurant, she hides behind her family and keeps the world at a distance, until one day she finds herself pouring coffee for a man who inspires her to change her life, and the way she sees the world … forever.
This particular makeover montage stands out to me because Toula undergoes her makeover for nobody’s benefit but her own, to turn her life around and build herself up.
Rounding out our featured titles with another absolute classic, The Princess Diaries follows Mia Thermopolis as she discovers that she is, in fact, a princess (“Shut up!”) of a tiny country named Genovia. Her makeover montage takes her from artsy, frizzy-haired high schooler to elegant, chic high schooler/princess. Despite the new title and fancy duds (and completely glamorous Julie Andrews as her grandma/queen), along with a media storm and petty high school bullies, Mia stays true to herself and gains hard-earned self-confidence along the way.
More Montages!
Below is a list of even more memorable montages that I couldn’t bring myself not to tell you about.
Lizzie McGuire sets off to Italy with friends on a graduation trip, where she is mistaken for an Italian pop star and falls for the star’s singing partner, Paolo.
(This particular montage plays on a loop in my head pretty much constantly)
When he’s dumped by his beautiful girlfriend, Zack Siler bets a classmate that he can turn any girl into the prom queen. What he doesn’t bet on, however, is falling in love.
(Another great adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew!)
*Available on Hoopla*
The laughs are non-stop when Viola, disguised as her twin brother, Sebastian, joins the high school boys soccer team and helps win the big game while unexpectedly falling for Duke the hot star forward.
(More Shakespeare – this time, it’s an adapted Twelfth Night, my personal favorite play from the Bard)
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Lindsay Lohan is a star in this movie as Lola, uprooted by her mother from fashionable NYC to frumpy suburbia. After meeting a kindred spirit at her new high school, they hatch a plan together to attend the concert of their mutually favorite band, and hilarity (and drama, so much drama) ensues. I hadn’t seen this particular masterpiece until earlier this year, and it became an instant favorite – check it out!
A mother and her daughter are always fighting – each thinks that the other has it so easy. Then, thanks to a magical fortune cookie, they switch personalities and bodies and discover each other’s problems and complications. But they need to be changed back by Saturday, because the mother is getting married!
(Lindsay Lohan & Jamie Lee Curtis make an unbeatable duo in this movie, and the montage is incredible)
After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne’s in ‘The Scarlet Letter, ‘ which she is currently studying in school. Hoping to become popular, she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.
(“I got a – I got a – I got a pocket got a pocket full of sunshine”)
Good girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?
(“Tell me about it – stud”)
A spirited, streetwise diamond in the rough meets a no-nonsense billionaire. It’s a chance encounter that turns a weeklong business arrangement into a timeless rags-to-riches romance.
(“You work on commission, right? Big mistake. Big. Huge!”)
It’s 1962 Baltimore and change is in the air. Tracy Turnblad, a plus-sized girl with big hair and big dreams, has only one passion in life – to dance on the ‘The Corny Collins Show.’ When her chance arrives, she grooves her way into instant stardom and the eyes of teen dream Link Larkin. But with the program’s scheming stage manager against her, trend setting Tracy will need the help of her best friend Penny, her big hearted mom and sassy co-host Motormouth Maybell to show the world that all it takes to make a dream come true is a toe-tappin’ beat.
New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George and her minions Gretchen and Karen. However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets out to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis and Damian, she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
*Available on Hoopla*
Three wacky aliens crash-land in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and are befriended by a manicurist and her boss.
(Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carey, and Damon Wayans get human makeovers – it’s hilarious)
A Cockney waif is transformed by a linguistics professor into an elegant lady.
Daniel Hillard is no ordinary father, so when he learns his ex-wife needs a housekeeper, he applies for the job. With the perfect wig, a little makeup and a dress for all occasions, he becomes Mrs. Doubtfire, a devoted British housekeeper who is hired on the spot. Free to be the “woman” he never knew he could be, the disguised Daniel creates a whole new life with his entire family.
(The montage of Robin Williams finding the perfect nanny character is a must-see!)
After a zombie epidemic, R (a zombie) rescues Julie (a human survivor) from a zombie attack. The two form a special relationship in their struggle for survival, R becomes increasingly more human, setting off a chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and maybe even the whole lifeless world.
(The makeover montage in this movie is outrageous – trying to disguise a zombie as a living human is harder than you might think)
And last, but certainly not least…..
While Andy is away at summer camp, Woody is toynapped by Al, a greedy collector. Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Rex and Slinky Dog spring into action in a thrilling and hilarious rescue mission.
(The scene of Woody being repaired at Al’s apartment will never fade from my memory – “You can’t rush art!”)
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this list of iconic makeovers as much as I enjoyed writing it! This is my first foray into blogging for WPPL, and I can’t wait to bring you many more lists of niche TV/movie tropes and whatever else strikes a fancy – stay tuned!
