Pretty Is As Pretty Does (2023)

• 85%
• 2023
• Jenny Stark

Pretty Is As Pretty Does takes a gander at Southern "lifestyle culture" represented in books like Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon, Pinterest lists of Southern sayings, and Hollywood representations of the South. The film remembers matriarchal traditions, recipes, and language long after leaving home. It's also about being charmed by kids with good manners, still hearing the relentless hum of cicadas even thousands of miles away, and missing the humid air, fireflies, and distant storms. Storms can be deadly, though, and sometimes politeness is an excuse to hide painful truths. Memory is just the road we're lost on.