"Phat Girlz" (2006)
Directed By: Nnegest Likké
Starring: Mo'Nique, Kendra C. Johnson, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Joyful Drake, & Godfrey
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (for sexual content and language, including some crude sexual references)
I feel sorry for this film. It has such a wonderful message and such a heart behind it. "Phat Girlz" could have been a wonderful, inspirational film. It's biggest problem, however, is that it simply isn't. It is just a dull, boring film with poor production values and lame, unfunny jokes. The plot, itself, is stretched far too thin, making for an almost painful viewing experience. There seemed to be massive dead spots within the film, in which the plot seemingly stops and the characters are merely floating along in nothingness. I have a feeling that, when the screenwriter, Nnegest Likké, decided to write the script, she knew what she wanted to do and how she wanted to get her message across but she just didn't know how to do it effectively. Nothing seems to work as it was intended to. Unfortunately, no matter how big its heart it or how wonderful its message is, "Phat Girlz" is one of the least effective movies of the year.
Jazmin Biltmore (Mo'Nique) is an overweight department store worker who is becoming increasingly fed up with the awful clothes in the plus-sized section and the negative views on overweight people. She has taken to designing and making her own clothes and has taken an active role in boosting her self-confidence. When Jazmin wins a trip to Palm Springs via a diet pill sweepstake, she, along with Stacey (Johnson) and Mia (Drake), are swept off to a life of luxury. But, upon arrival, Jazmin realizes that her weight is far more of a hindrance than she originally thought. She can't use the robes provided by the hotel's spa and she cannot fit on the massage tables. Everything seems to be going poorly until she meets the Nigerian Doctor Tunde (Jean-Louis), a sexy, handsome, and wealthy, man who finds himself smitten with Jazmin. But, in order to find true love and live happily ever after, Jazmin will have to look inside of herself. With a simple plot like this, how could it go around? With "Phat Girlz", it goes horribly wrong. It just doesn't work.
The biggest problem with "Phat Girlz" is its mediocre production values. I can take a theatrical film that looks like a direct-to-video release and have no problem with it whatsoever. In fact, if such a movie is good, this just lends to the movie's appeal for me, making me feel that the film was good without having a huge budget. "Phat Girlz", however, alternates between a polished and a grainy appearance, making the spots of poor value all the more distracting. There was no consistency in how the movie was shot, giving me the feeling as though I was on uneven ground the entire time. I have yet to decide whether there was a purpose to this method or whether or not they merely ran out of money before they were able to polish off the rest of the film, but, whatever the reason is, the movie looks particularly tacky. What an annoying way to make a movie! Note to all aspiring filmmakers: keep the quality of your movie consistent throughout. Do not change it every few minutes. That technique looks dreadful.
I wanted so desperately to love this movie. It seemed like a sure thing but, when it was over, I realized that I had just seen one of the worst-made movies of the year. There are no jokes that work as they should, the direction flops wildly, the writing is cheesy and clichéd, and the production values are horribly tacky. The only saving grace is the movie's cast. Mo'Nique is a very lovable actress and handles her role quite nicely and with an ample amount of panache. Kendra C. Johnson provides a stark contrast to Mo'Nique's over-the-top craziness. She is calm, cool, and yet sure to deliver a few laughs--not through the jokes, but through her deliveries. I actually considered turning the movie off halfway through due to miserable boredom but I decided to do my job and finish out so you don't have to. If you have not yet realized, I am telling you--no, I am begging you to not see this movie. The message of personal acceptance is nice and all, but it is wasted on a sub-par script and a mediocre direction. So, be happy with yourself, whether you are overweight or unattractive, and skip this movie now and forever.
Final Thought: It has a good message, but a horrible delivery.
Overall Rating: 3/10 (C)
Directed By: Nnegest Likké
Starring: Mo'Nique, Kendra C. Johnson, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Joyful Drake, & Godfrey
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (for sexual content and language, including some crude sexual references)
I feel sorry for this film. It has such a wonderful message and such a heart behind it. "Phat Girlz" could have been a wonderful, inspirational film. It's biggest problem, however, is that it simply isn't. It is just a dull, boring film with poor production values and lame, unfunny jokes. The plot, itself, is stretched far too thin, making for an almost painful viewing experience. There seemed to be massive dead spots within the film, in which the plot seemingly stops and the characters are merely floating along in nothingness. I have a feeling that, when the screenwriter, Nnegest Likké, decided to write the script, she knew what she wanted to do and how she wanted to get her message across but she just didn't know how to do it effectively. Nothing seems to work as it was intended to. Unfortunately, no matter how big its heart it or how wonderful its message is, "Phat Girlz" is one of the least effective movies of the year.
Jazmin Biltmore (Mo'Nique) is an overweight department store worker who is becoming increasingly fed up with the awful clothes in the plus-sized section and the negative views on overweight people. She has taken to designing and making her own clothes and has taken an active role in boosting her self-confidence. When Jazmin wins a trip to Palm Springs via a diet pill sweepstake, she, along with Stacey (Johnson) and Mia (Drake), are swept off to a life of luxury. But, upon arrival, Jazmin realizes that her weight is far more of a hindrance than she originally thought. She can't use the robes provided by the hotel's spa and she cannot fit on the massage tables. Everything seems to be going poorly until she meets the Nigerian Doctor Tunde (Jean-Louis), a sexy, handsome, and wealthy, man who finds himself smitten with Jazmin. But, in order to find true love and live happily ever after, Jazmin will have to look inside of herself. With a simple plot like this, how could it go around? With "Phat Girlz", it goes horribly wrong. It just doesn't work.
The biggest problem with "Phat Girlz" is its mediocre production values. I can take a theatrical film that looks like a direct-to-video release and have no problem with it whatsoever. In fact, if such a movie is good, this just lends to the movie's appeal for me, making me feel that the film was good without having a huge budget. "Phat Girlz", however, alternates between a polished and a grainy appearance, making the spots of poor value all the more distracting. There was no consistency in how the movie was shot, giving me the feeling as though I was on uneven ground the entire time. I have yet to decide whether there was a purpose to this method or whether or not they merely ran out of money before they were able to polish off the rest of the film, but, whatever the reason is, the movie looks particularly tacky. What an annoying way to make a movie! Note to all aspiring filmmakers: keep the quality of your movie consistent throughout. Do not change it every few minutes. That technique looks dreadful.
I wanted so desperately to love this movie. It seemed like a sure thing but, when it was over, I realized that I had just seen one of the worst-made movies of the year. There are no jokes that work as they should, the direction flops wildly, the writing is cheesy and clichéd, and the production values are horribly tacky. The only saving grace is the movie's cast. Mo'Nique is a very lovable actress and handles her role quite nicely and with an ample amount of panache. Kendra C. Johnson provides a stark contrast to Mo'Nique's over-the-top craziness. She is calm, cool, and yet sure to deliver a few laughs--not through the jokes, but through her deliveries. I actually considered turning the movie off halfway through due to miserable boredom but I decided to do my job and finish out so you don't have to. If you have not yet realized, I am telling you--no, I am begging you to not see this movie. The message of personal acceptance is nice and all, but it is wasted on a sub-par script and a mediocre direction. So, be happy with yourself, whether you are overweight or unattractive, and skip this movie now and forever.
Final Thought: It has a good message, but a horrible delivery.
Overall Rating: 3/10 (C)