Made Over in America

Taking a multifaceted approach to the subject of cosmetic surgery—a major industry in the U.S.—filmmakers Bernadette Wegenstein and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' Made Over in America begins with the question of what constitutes ideal beauty in today's society—drawing on images from entertainment and advertising, visiting a theorist who claims to have determined the perfect mathematical proportions of the face, and adding remarks from specialists in media studies and other academic fields. Drawing on the viewpoints of potential patients and practitioners, the documentary looks at the wide range of plastic surgery options, while also exploring how the practice has become a major element in popular culture (repeatedly using as an example the Fox-aired “reality” program The Swan, a makeover contest whose fairy-tale-inspired title itself implies a transformation from ugliness to radiant beauty). Unfortunately, however, the film presents none of this in a straightforward manner, instead offering up a collage of images and observations in a variety of visual forms and narrative tones that range from darkly humorous to deadly serious. Ultimately, this admittedly intriguingly experimental approach is more successful in raising questions than offering any substantive answers. Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)