amamelina
To be honest, I found Phat Girls very disappointing. It could have been so much better. I know Mo'nique can play a confident woman, I watch The Parkers. I didn't mind her playing a woman who isn't confident and has self-esteem issues, that is a good role as it reflects many of the target audience. What I did mind was the overall message was so pushed down to make way for hateful discrimination in this wish-fulfillment movie that it was overly blatant. And I don't mind wish-fulfillment movies, that's why I bought this so I could live a little fantasy where an overweight woman (like I am) can get the hot guy and live happily ever after.What bothered me the most was how in your face the whole "I'm fat, and everyone around me is a hater" the movie was. Seriously, everyone who was not Mo'nique (and I do love her, really), her friend, and the two Nigerian guys they hook up with was just portrayed as one-diminsional villains. Every woman (okay, with the exception of a few nameless Nigerian women in one scene) was a sheer bitch to Mo'nique, every guy didn't appreciate her or was just there to trade fat jokes. Now, I'm the size as her friend, Sally, Sandra, something with an "S", but my mother was Mo'nique's size. Never have we encountered the sheer stupidity in the film where a fast food server would say, loud enough for everyone to hear, about what fat asses we were. This scene in the movie was just to have Mo'nique share "Yo Momma" jokes and verbally beat down the kid. While, yes, for his comment he deserved a beating, it did not show Mo'nique's character in a good light. Instead, it portrayed her as a person who is verbally abusive to anyone whom she can be abusive to in order to boost her self-esteem.When meeting with the Nigerian men, they swarm around Mo'nique and her friend, leaving the skinny cousin to the sides. While this is expected in a wish-fulfillment movie, again, it was handled poorly. The men make comments (in Nigerian) on how the cousin must be dying and malnurished. Which made no sense to me since they are at a pool in Palm Springs surrounded by the "American" ideal of beauty in women, and Mia was not that skinny. She was fashionably skinny, but not to the point where anyone looking at her would think malnurished. Her bones were not showing and she clearly had some muscles and tone. It was just to drive home that skinny was evil. This skinny girl, who was portrayed as self-centered and rather mean, deserved being on the other end while Mo'nique was lifted as a goddess. I don't mind that, and the only saving grace was the development of the cousin by the end, but at that moment it was so heavy handed a neon sign flashing, "Phat is sexier than skinny" would have been more subtle.There was also Mo'nique's character's attitude. As mentioned, she got in a verbal fight with a kid because he insulted her. For most of the movie, we are treated to a barrage of hateful rhetoric either spoken or thought through this character. It's considered okay because, of course, every person in the world is out to be mean to Mo'nique because no one realizes that she is really a sexy goddess who deserves respect. However, it's hard to respect a person whom you know is thinking mean thoughts over every little thing. I would have enjoyed her character more and the movie more it wasn't so ham handedly done to pound it into my skull that Mo'nique, and only women who not skinny, deserve to be well rounded and get respect. If you are not a size six, the whole world hates you, so be mean and spiteful back because you've been hurt.I really wanted to enjoy this movie more. I really did. As I said, I knew it was wish-fulfillment. Some of the things I've seen complained about, I actually liked about the movie. Like Mo'nique's break down scene. I've felt like that, and it made the movie better that afterward she picked herself up and made a decision to make her life better. Instead of just waiting for Prince Charming, her character got her courage to make her dreams come true. That part I liked. I liked the hidden message of be happy with who you are, even if you are not skinny. Well, the skinny part got muddled since the show hammered a lot of "Skinny bitches are evil" into our heads. So I guess the message was really, "If you're not skinny, be happy with who you are." I just really wish that, in order to portray this character, the movie did not feel like it had to beat into the audience that "Phat" is wonderful and "Skinny" is bad. I know Mo'nique can play a positive role model to overweight women. As I said, I watch her on The Parkers and feel that her character there is a much better representation than this character. I leave watching the Parkers feeling better about myself and enjoy Mo'nique's performance. I left watching this feeling embarrassed for being overweight because Mo'nique was portrayed as such an awful person. And I know this movie could have been so much better.So, for what it's worth, I gave it five out of ten. It lived up to being a wish-fulfillment movie, it tried to bring a positive message, and I enjoyed Mo'nique even if I didn't really like her character for the first half or so of the movie.
yourwarmembrace
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.
handbagshoes
I have been reading all your comments, and I think some of the comments are a bit overboard in the dislikes!! Come on lets not take this too seriously or take things to heart, this movie might not be in the Oscar stakes, and Monique may in time become a good actress - but it is nice to see a film which has a lovely happy ever after.I think it is nice to see a movie which has the fat girl being chased by a hunk who loves big sized women, because in this world on size 0, its like fat girls don't exist unless they are fancied by fat men.Yes, the movie is not taxing on the brain and it certainly is easy on the thinking brain after a reality bitten hard days at work.I enjoyed the film immensely and i am just treating as one entertaining forgettable film. Just like the movie for what it is - an easy on the brain feel good movie.
Mae Koen
I thought the movie was delightful and refreshing. Big girls need love too and for a change the big girls get the man and we probably won't see that again for a very long time. For the writer/director's first time out I think she did a great job! This was a love story and a good one at that. I think it is noble of the movie maker to have the storyline surround 2 big girls, we live in a society where skinny is in and big is, well it isn't. I also like the fact that Monique's character was a fashion designer for full figured women and just not women in general, that was great! Overall, I would say that this movie was very entertaining and I wish I would've seen it when it hit the big screen.
