Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- breezy
- warm
- lazy sunday
- light date night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a dated, sitcom-like romantic comedy with a thin script, though Fran Drescher's warm comic performance earned some praise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joy Miller is incorrectly presented as an academic teacher and becomes tutor to a dictator's children.
An American beautician confronts an Eastern European dictatorship while developing a relationship with Boris.
Joy attempts to Westernize the country despite having entered it through a misunderstanding about her expertise.
Fran Drescher's Joy is defined by her conspicuous voice, styling, and exuberant American manner.
Films like The Beautician and the Beast, and why
Ninotchka
shared romantic comedy structure, culture clash, and female-led fish out of water humor
Coming to America
shared cross-cultural romance, political satire, and polished screwball sensibility
The Nanny Diaries
shared mistaken identity, opposites-attract romance, and broad workplace-style comedy
Fools Rush In
shared romantic comedy tone, social class contrast, and culture-clash premise
Movie Details
- Director
- Ken Kwapis
- Release Date
- 1997-02-07
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (379)
Cast
- Fran Drescher
- Timothy Dalton
- Michael Lerner
- Ian McNeice
- Patrick Malahide
- Lisa Jakub
- Tamara Mello
- Phyllis Newman
- Heather DeLoach
- Adam LaVorgna
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Beautician and the Beast about?
- An exuberant American beautician becomes an accidental tutor in a dictator’s household and upends an entire Eastern European regime through charm, improvisation, and romance.
- What is The Beautician and the Beast like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Beautician and the Beast as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Beautician and the Beast violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Beautician and the Beast.
- What did critics think of The Beautician and the Beast?
- Critics broadly found the film a dated, sitcom-like romantic comedy with a thin script, though Fran Drescher's warm comic performance earned some praise.
- Which films are like The Beautician and the Beast?
- Films with a similar feel include Ninotchka, Coming to America, The Nanny Diaries, and Fools Rush In.
- How long is The Beautician and the Beast?
- The Beautician and the Beast runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Beautician and the Beast?
- In United States, The Beautician and the Beast is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
