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Film: Phat Girlz [PG-13] 99 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $10.25
When 1st Seen: 10 April 2006
Where Viewed: UA Denver Pavilions 15, Denver, CO 80202
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DVD | soundtrack |
Say what you will about Phat Girlz, what I will say is that few films have come along in this era with a working mission of attempting to help people feel good enough about themselves that might actually have succeeded. Many other films have tried and ended up becoming clichés of the very people they were trying to help. This one, instead, was written and directed with a conscience in play. Stereotypes get turned upside down. Caution gets tossed into the wind where it flutters gently back to the ground. Finally, someone who really gets it and how not to be offensive in the process of delivering the message, makes a movie for everyone to enjoy laugh appropriately at, and that isn’t afraid to confront this delicate topic. Some people may caution that the film makes it ok to be PHAT. Well, it should be ok to be Phat or even Fat for that matter. Our nation’s obsession with weight has done nothing but create millionaires in the weight loss industry, indoctrinate words like anorexia and bulemia nervosa into the 2nd and 3rd graders, and cause millions and millions of mostly women but more and more men shame and suffering. This film seems to hope to point out that “phat” is a way of finding your inner beauty and letting it loose. Too often, our species gets all wrapped up in the ‘hate’ instead. We cause people to hate themselves and to accept torment and teasing. Is that the right thing for a civilized society? Even more ironic is that it probably is a hundred times harder to lose the weight if you feel doubt and shame from the family and friends who are supposed to by your allies in the struggle to achieve your medically sanctioned best body type. In the end the point is not whether people should or shouldn’t be overweight, the point should be in helping every child, as he or she grows up, find themselves and love themselves. The rest will fall into place.
This story is brought to us by writer/director Nnegest Likké who brings great flair and sensitivity to the script and the film. Meanwhile, Mo'Nique, plays Jasmine Biltmore, the main character and original “Phat Girl”. The rest of the cast is charming and focused. Everyone, it seems, has his or her eye on making this a good film. Mostly, they succeed with a couple of drops. The biggest drop for me was the elusive epiphany that Jasmine has after reaching rock bottom. There are no clues as to what actually caused this growth and change in her. She simply gets up and take charge. The second drop is in the form of the ending. The film seems to end a couple of times (all would have been fine endings b.t.w.) with each one getting successively better. Editing these would have made them flow better. Finally, the message was good, the acting was great, the story is fine, except for the foul mouths on some of the characters. This is an enjoyable and mostly good-for-you film.
This story is brought to us by writer/director Nnegest Likké who brings great flair and sensitivity to the script and the film. Meanwhile, Mo'Nique, plays Jasmine Biltmore, the main character and original “Phat Girl”. The rest of the cast is charming and focused. Everyone, it seems, has his or her eye on making this a good film. Mostly, they succeed with a couple of drops. The biggest drop for me was the elusive epiphany that Jasmine has after reaching rock bottom. There are no clues as to what actually caused this growth and change in her. She simply gets up and take charge. The second drop is in the form of the ending. The film seems to end a couple of times (all would have been fine endings b.t.w.) with each one getting successively better. Editing these would have made them flow better. Finally, the message was good, the acting was great, the story is fine, except for the foul mouths on some of the characters. This is an enjoyable and mostly good-for-you film.
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Phat Girlz [DVD](2006) DVD
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1 comment:
What a great review. What you said about the weight loss industry is so true, they get rich while people get miserable. People need to truly wake up to what's really going on.
Yes the message of this film is that it is not a crime to be PHAT (Pretty Hot and Thick).
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