Phat Girlz The Movie

[Prewitt Howells]

Therewas probably a time when the word "phat" actually had a meaning (to me), but misuse and appropriation brought it to my understanding as a punchline, something white people made fun of black people for saying. Whatever it means to you in whatever context it gets used in, as the title of this film, it probably doesn't convey accurately what the movie is about, as it suggests something frivolous. This film might have issues with tone, directness, and writing in general, but it is not frivolous.

It would be easy to see this film as almost trite in its "love yourself" messaging and body-positivity, but the path it takes to get there is both complex and meandering. I know for nothing about Nigerian culture, but I assume this film's emphasis of the Nigerian men's sexual interest in "thick madame" (the film's specific terminology) women is at best exaggerated for the purposes of this narrative. As a storytelling device, it would probably be better served to allow other aspects of Nigerian culture to be more prominent, if only to give more context, but as a thematic device, it creates the sense that sizeist attitudes are influenced by, associated with, or otherwise connected to white supremacy by showing an alternative viewpoint coming from a distinctively non-Eurocentric perspective. This is furthered especially at the fashion show by showing Jazmin celebrating diversity in speech and deed.

This is not to say that the film manages to thread the needle of inclusivity perfectly, as it has homophobic undertones to some of its humor and jokes at the expense of people's weight or appearance in ways that seem contradictory to the film's overall themes. It's notable that those themes overwhelm the contradictions--there is no watching this to the end and feeling like it doesn't want you to be happy about your body--but it can't resist some visual humor. Perhaps the most unfortunate part, though, is the insult humor showdown, which had the potential to be an offbeat moment of empowerment. Instead, the fat-shaming is depicted as ineffectual in a way that makes it a foregone conclusion that Jazmin will dominate him with the crowd's support, escalating to more dramatic language and violence instead of portraying Jazmin's victory as (a) hard fought over a formidable opponent and (b) superior by virtue of any characteristic (personality or intelligence, perhaps) than her physical presence. Her opponent was a straw man in a manner which left her victory unsatisfying not because he was sympathetic or she not, but because he was already defeated before the showdown began. It's a weak moment in the narrative, and there are plenty of others like it, mistakes that favor theme over storytelling in a way that ultimately makes the themes less satisfying.

There's nothing new about presenting a story trying to combat body image issues with characters in the fashion industry, but this specific instance of it caught my attention because had implications for ideas I'm still trying to understand, like white gaze. The film mostly couches the discriminatory practices of Jazmin's workplace in sizeist terms, but her manager is still a white man who looks like he's barely older than his teenage years, a fact that speaks volumes. There's a racial component there, but it also positions a white man as a gatekeeper (both in the form of her manager and higher up the chain of command) to success and the fashion world. The eventual access Jazmin gains to that industry, however, are brought about by her ingenuity and talent, and what she does with it is, as I said before, a celebration of diversity in more ways than just matters of size. The film makes a statement on how white supremacist patriarchy objectifies black people by showing a black woman rise to power in an industry defined by appearances use her power to deconstruct white supremacist patriarchy. That would be impressive from veteran directors, but this is Likke's debut film, I believe.

Synopsis: Starring Mo'Nique as Jazmin Biltmore, a smart-mouthed aspiring fashion designer, "Phat Girlz" is an edgy comedy about two frustrated plus-size women obsessed with their weight while struggling to find love and acceptance in a world full of "hot bodied" babes. The "Phat Girlz" are thrown a major curve ball when they meet the men of their dreams in the most unexpected of ways...

Trailer: _searchlight/phatgirlz/

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