It depends whether the function is conceptually important to the project and will be read a lot by colleagues, e.g. new team members who are learning the codeba

It depends whether the function is conceptually important to the project and will be read a lot by colleagues, e.g. new team members who are learning the codebase. If not, then a bit like your last option (forget about it). But if it is important, then... that's the problem. I consider it a real problem. But it punctures colleagues' egos to have it pointed out that their code, while correct and effective, is actually not very well written. And colleagues in programming tend to have large egos that put up a forceful defense when they are being punctured.