Hulu Pick: Pretty Baby

In this fascinating two-part documentary, a very articulate and intelligent Ms. Shields hashes over her career beginning with child model to actress, wife, mother, writer, advocate.

I think it's pretty true to assume, as is discussed throughout the doc, that a movie like "Pretty Baby" wouldn't get made today. The question is: why did it ever get made back then???

The nostalgia of this doc is truly enjoyable. All of the ads, personal appearances, variety shows and of course the infamous "Blue Lagoon" are what I remember of Brooke Shields when I was a kid. She was the beauty ideal of the 1980's and an aspirational young lady to boot. She was always so soft-spoken and intelligent in interviews and then, I'll be darned if she didn't go to Princeton! And she married the gorgeous and talented Andre Agassi......she had it all!

The more grown-up and astute Brooke Shields looks back at the more difficult parts in her life: the relationship with her functional-alcoholic mom/manager, her rape by an unnamed man in the entertainment industry, the divorce from Andre, her difficult postpartum depression experience including being raked over the coals by Tom Cruise (of all people!) in the press to coming into her own in the different facets of her life as a wife and mother and in her career.

It's hard to know if Brooke ever really wanted the life she had, but she definitely took it and made the best of it. Even through all the difficulties with her mother, she still speaks of her with love and respect.

Brooke Shields, a true class act.

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