History YMMV / PrettyBaby

** Violet's virginity being sold is already harsh to watch, but Creator/BrookeShields later confessed that the pressure of being seen as a sex symbol so young (though mostly thanks to ''Film/TheBlueLagoon'' more so than this) left her terrified of sex – and she didn't lose her virginity until she was twenty-two.

* HypeBacklash: In an odd variation, many viewers tune in expecting to see a controversial and shocking example of child exploitation. Thus, they're surprised to find that it's not that shocking –- Violet has only one nude scene,[[note]]YMMV depending on version viewed, [[https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0078111/parentalguide/nudity IMDB identifies several Brooke Shields nude scenes]][[/note]] she's not shown having sex on-screen, and she only does it once.

* HypeBacklash: In an odd variation, many viewers tune in expecting to see a controversial and shocking example of child exploitation. Thus, they're surprised to find that it's not that shocking –- Violet has only one nude scene, she's not shown having sex on-screen, and she only does it once.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Due to having sex with and marrying a twelve-year-old plus photographing her in the nude, Bellocq can't be seen as anything other than a pedophile. Even when he lets her go willingly at the end and seems to realize their marriage was wrong, he still raped a little child who he knows has been groomed into thinking it's normal and was just recently raped by another client and abandoned by her mother, meaning she couldn't and wouldn't resist him in anyway.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Does Violet even have the capacity [[spoiler:to live the normal life offered to her at the end?]] Her defining characteristic is her pride for sex work; she wears her [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior very particular skillset]] like a badge of honour and children her own age are the ones she boasts to the most. For that matter, is her mother even remotely prepared [[spoiler:to help her daughter move past that chapter?]]

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Due to having sex with and marrying a twelve-year-old plus photographing her in the nude, Bellocq can't be seen as anything other than a pedophile. Even when he lets her go willingly at the end and seems to realize their marriage was wrong, he still raped a little child who he knows has been groomed into thinking it's normal, just recently raped by another client, and also abandoned by her mother, meaning she couldn't and wouldn't resist him in anyway.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Due to ValuesDissonance, it's hard to see Bellocq as anything other than a pedophile rapist– since he has sex with and marries a twelve-year-old plus photographing her in the nude. To be fair, he at least lets her go willingly at the end and seems to realise their marriage was wrong, but it's still a stretch given he still raped a child, one who has been trained into thinking it's normal and was recently abandoned by her mother, making her even more vulnerable emotionally than she already would be.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Due to ValuesDissonance, it's hard to see Bellocq as anything other than a creep – since he marries a twelve-year-old and photographs her in the nude. To be fair, he at least lets her go willingly at the end and seems to realise their marriage was wrong.

* VindicatedByHistory: At the time –- similarly to ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' – it was mistakenly seen as an endorsement of child pornography. However, the film is openly sympathetic towards Violet, and the things she is subjected to are very much PlayedForHorror, and as a result it is now seen as a scarily accurate representation of such a phenomenon.

* VindicatedByHistory: At the time –- similarly to ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' – it was mistakenly seen as an endorsement of child pornography. However, the film is openly sympathetic towards Violet, and the things she is subjected to is very much PlayedForHorror, and as a result it is now seen as a scarily accurate representation of such a phenomenon.

* FetishRetardant: Well of course. The scantily clad whores understandably look less like fetish objects and more like tired women doing their best to make a living.

** During the auction itself, one of the customers can be heard saying "how do we know if she is a virgin?" - this is a twelve year old girl he's talking about.

* HypeBacklash: In an odd variation, many viewers tune in expecting to see a controversial and shocking example of child exploitation. Thus, they're surprised to find that it's not that shocking – Violet has only one nude scene, she's not shown having sex on-screen, and she only does it once.

* VindicatedByHistory: At the time – similarly to ''{{Literature/Lolita}}'' – it was mistakenly seen as an endorsement of child pornography. However, the film is now seen as a scarily accurate representation of such a phenomenon.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments: While the film may be controversial, Brooke Shields's extraordinary performance should not be ignored. She perfectly captures the essence of a child raised in an environment, who is WiseBeyondHerYears to a disturbing extent. She leads the film and nails every scene – all at the age of twelve.

** Violet's virginity being sold is already harsh to watch, but Brooke Shields later confessed that the pressure of being seen as a sex symbol so young (though mostly thanks to ''Film/TheBlueLagoon'' more so than this) left her terrified of sex – and she didn't lose her virginity until she was twenty-two.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Probably the darkest example in cinema; the film is infamous for being "the film where the director completely {{averted|Trope}} DawsonCasting for the role of a [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior 12-year-old prostitute]]". The fact that this makes viewers forget the plentiful Susan Sarandon nudity is quite telling.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments: While the film may be controversial, Brooke Shields's extraordinary performance should not be ignored. She perfectly captures the essence of a child raised in an environment, who is WiseBeyondHerYears to a disturbing extent. She leads the film and nails every scene - all at the age of twelve.
* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Probably the darkest example in cinema; the film is infamous for being "the film where the director completely [[AvertedTrope averted]] DawsonCasting for the role of a [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior 12-year old prostitute]]". The fact that this makes viewers forget the plentiful Susan Sarandon nudity is quite telling.

** Violet's virginity being sold is already harsh to watch, but Brooke Shields later confessed that the pressure of being seen as a sex symbol so young (though mostly thanks to ''Film/TheBlueLagoon'' more so than this) left her terrified of sex - and she didn't lose her virginity until she was twenty-two.

* HypeBacklash: In an odd variation, many viewers tune in expecting to see a controversial and shocking example of child exploitation. Thus they're surprised to find that it's not that shocking - Violet has only one nude scene, she's not shown having sex on-screen and she only does it once.
* IronWoobie: Violet is a child that has been raised in a brothel and has been working for as long as she could walk. Eventually she sells her virginity and is abandoned by her mother - but she just keeps on going.
* OvershadowedByControversy: Overlapping with the {{Fanservice}} aspect, the film is controversially remembered for Brooke Shield's full frontal nudity at the age of twelve. It should however be noted that she is only briefly nude when being photographed by Bellocq. You only see the aftermath of her sex scene.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Due to ValuesDissonance, it's hard to see Bellocq as anything other than a creep - since he marries a twelve-year-old and photographs her in the nude. To be fair, he at least lets her go willingly at the end and seems to realise their marriage was wrong.
* VindicatedByHistory: At the time - similarly to ''{{Literature/Lolita}}'' - it was mistakenly seen as an endorsement of child pornography. However the film is now seen as a scarily accurate representation of such a phenomenon.

** Violet's virginity being sold is already harsh to watch, but Brooke Shields later confessed that the pressure of being seen as a sex symbol so young (though mostly thanks to ''Film/BlueLagoon'' more so than this) terrified her of sex - and she didn't lose her virginity until she was twenty-two.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Probably the darkest example in cinema; the film is infamous for being "the film where the director completely [[AvertedTrope averted]] DawsonCasting for the role of a [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior 12-year old prostitute]]".