Phat Girlz (2006)

I admit it. I'm guilty of wanting to look at women who are slim and trim. Some people complain that the women I like looking at have eating disorders or are unhealthy, but I just don't see it. And there are plenty of these women in this movie. One is the young hot babe who accompanies our plump heroines to the expensive spa treatments.But Jazmin and her best friend are right. A woman can be large and attractive, and apparently, if this movie is to be believed, Nigerian men have the right attitude. Women who look like models are malnourished. It's unfortunate that this movie relies heavily on subtitles because things can happen, and did, I almost missed one of the funniest jokes in the movie but got a second opportunity to see it later. The joke was that the hot babe with the Nigerian doctor was a poor sick girl.Jazmin, of course, does a number of things people shouldn't actually do, but it's a fantasy. If you assault someone who insults you and wreck a fast-food place, you should go to jail. This is a fantasy people might enjoy watching because they'd like to do what Jazmin did.Mo'Nique gives a very good performance, one that suggests she might someday get an Oscar nomination. While she does a good job overall, she has one truly frightening scene as she struggles with her difficulties in life. Jimmy Jean-Louis does an excellent job as her boyfriend, and all the actors playing African men do a very good job as well. The humor is quite sophisticated in their scenes, and there are glimpses of African culture for those of us with European heritage.Some of the movie is just plain silly, though. But overall, I think this would have been a good choice if African Heritage Network movies were still airing. I haven't seen any of those lately on my area TV stations, but they promoted positive images of people with African roots. In many ways, this movie does.I am confused about a couple of things. I thought among black people, big women were desirable. I thought it was just white and Asian women (and possibly Latinas) in this country who had to meet certain standards of beauty to be accepted by narrow-minded men. That's just not the case with the Americans in this movie. Also, Jazmin seems to be the pot calling the kettle black as her men have to have perfect bodies.And not once does anyone say Jazmin is beautiful BUT. A woman that big is likely to have health problems, and she should try to lose the weight if she can for that reason. That message was not addressed.It's a worthwhile movie.

The movie overall was great! It shows how over weight people feel about being overweight in a society that has Brittany Spear's and Paris Hilton's figures being role models for kids and adults alike in the world and that being "Skinny" is in and that you should achieve it at all costs! It also shows how overweight people are treated in todays' society. Just like what Pretty Woman showed, if you wander in from off the street dressed in simple jeans, flip-flops and a jacket into a 'real classy clothing department store' (or for young adults and teenagers, walk into the store looking goth-like or punk-rock - Amber Crombie and Fitch, Gap, Old Navy, etc.) - you will definitely get treated differently or even turned away.And no, it's showing that even hot sexy men - regardless of race or nationality find women with a little bit more meat on them to be attractive. And Monique's character just happened to travel there for vacation, where she met a man who liked her for her.And doctors never know what they are saying. They will tell you what they are paid to tell you. Basically so you can buy whatever they recommend and that so they will look good. Most of them want more money out of you. We are all going to die someday. Why worry about how we are going to die - when supposedly there are all these thing out there that are supposed to treat this and that. If only one product could really "cure" or "treat" what someone might have - there would only be one product and not all these brand name items.Now, while there is a cut off to when being fat could be hazardous to your health, such as; if you need help to go to the bathroom and can't wipe your own but - then you are too overweight or you need help moving from one place to the next and can't walk without someone/something helping/pushing/driving you.All of you who have commented on this movie need to grow up! It was good movie, with great characters - and good acting. It was not meant to be funny, if it was meant to be funny - it would have been labeled as a 'comedy'.

Firstly, let me just say that I love Mo'Nique! She can just look or breathe a certain way and I'll loose it. She's got mad skills when it comes to stand-up comedy. As far as movies go, well, I blame the writers. Phat Girlz and Hair Show are my fave Mo'Nique films... perhaps because she has lead roles. This one came and went so fast that I had forgotten about its theatrical release. It's not crap. Three or four scenes in this film had me laughing so hard that I could barely breathe... two of them I had to rewind. The other bits made me smile at the very least. Phat Girlz is a perfect movie for Netflix and far better than Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins... there's a movie that deserves 2.2 stars.

OMG! This is a very interesting film. It deals with issues of body image and America's role in Africa. In an over sexualized world, where all girls want to be like Paris Hilton (or Perez Hilton) I find this story very refreshing, and Queen Latifah deserves another Oscar nomination for this one. (BTW, is there a King Latifah?) This movie rushed the way intimacy with humour beyond laughter over and over. Maybe it's cuz fat people are so funny but this movie was amazing, so full of BELLY laughs hehe, it reminded me a bit of Patch Adams cuz it's makes you want to go out and say to the world OH YES I CAN! just like Queen Latifah does in this movie, it reminds us all of the condition of this world under certain negative pressures from our different times with each other in America and the war in Afghanistan and Cuba, and Servia and all.Buy it NOW and don't listen to the haters!