My Take on the Movies
A Mini-Review of
PHAT GIRLZ
By: A. L. "Toni" Anderson

Phat Girlz is the hilarious 2006 film starring Mo’Nique of The Parkers. Apparently P.H.A.T. in this case is an acronym for pretty, hot and thick, an apt description of Jazmin Biltmore (Mo’Nique) and her full-figured homegirl, Stacey (Kendra C. Johnson, who has appeared in episodes of The Shield and Strong Medicine). The film is written and directed by Nnegest Likké of Oakland, and represents her directorial debut.

Jazmin is a queen-sized retail fashion clerk who is constantly discouraged by the lack of attractive clothing in her size, and motivated by her “shrinking” wardrobe. She is a plus-size hottie living in a size 6 world, a Rubenesque diva with a goal to design a fashion line expressly for the big sisters. Unfortunately, her plans are thwarted by her store manager Dick (Jack Noseworthy of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) and by the denial of a requested loan from First Plantation Bank, if you can believe that!

Her luck apparently changes when she wins a weekend for three at a 5-star hotel in Palm Springs. There she is introduced to a culture that does not glorify the perfect sculpted body of her roommate cousin Mia (Joyful Drake of Beauty Shop - 2005). The harbinger of this good news is Tunde (Jimmy Jean-Louis of Hollywood Homicide - 2003), a doctor from Nigeria who is in the U.S. on a medical conference. His two like-minded doctor friends are played by comedian Godfrey (Johnson Family Vacation - 2004) as Akibo, and Dayo Ade (Scrubs) as Godwin.

Phat Girlz is a traditional love story in the truest sense. There are steamy sex scenes, good romantic dialogue, and eventually, real understanding. (Not to mention at least one super-fine brother!) We are allowed to see genuine relationships develop over time, not just between men and women, but between family members and friends.

The viewer is presented with a smorgasbord of food, clothes, language, and dance. It is a quality (if abbreviated) education in Nigerian culture. Any transgressions should be overlooked, in favor of the real glimpses of Lagos that go far beyond what we are taught to expect of Africa.

Although Phat Girlz is primarily a comedy, the viewer comes away with much more than just a lifted spirit. The film evokes laughter in abundance, but it also evokes compassion, and a sense of having found something previously lost.

One message which hits home is that we should not judge human beings by their appearance, but accept them for who they are. Still, I observed far more bare flab and stretch marks (onscreen and off) than were pleasing to me. I have to say that there was more than enough of everything else to make up for it. I highly recommend seeing Phat Girlz — at least once!

♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠

[© 04/08/2006]