Fatso

Fatso is running on Fox Movie Channel now as I write this. I feel compelled to add my appreciation for this sweet little movie that, as I recall, got creamed by many critics when it came out.

The pacing IS slow and the story (unlike the theme) slender. Nevertheless, this is a greatly under-appreciated movie. There are many, many funny scenes and lines that are equal to any from more celebrated comedies. The performances are all right on target, especially DeLouise and Bancroft.

I'm here to say you DON'T have to be Italian or from NY to appreciate the movie. However, if you've ever struggled with a diet, the movie will resonate with you more than if you're a lifelong skinny Minnie. You will not soon forget Dom DeLouise's heartbreak as he listens to a list of restricted foods recited by a severe-looking nurse in his diet doctor's office. Afterwards, when he has to pick up a birthday cake for his nephew, the camera lingers lovingly on the rows of luscious- looking pastries. His torment is palpable and very, very funny.

We in the U.S. live in the land of plenty. This is THE BEST movie about Americans and their unique--dare I say perverse?--relationship with food. And it's sweet, and funny. Really, really funny.

There are some real classic moments in this film. The hot dog scene where Dom looks at a beautiful girl, then back at the hot dog... in a mental fight that he can't win, he finally bites the hot dog. There are several classic moments and some are quite subtle, such as the scene where Lydia says the wrapping paper is "too gay" only to be glanced at by a man at the cash register. For people with an eating disorder, it will make you cry and laugh at the same time. For people who don't understand the addiction of food, it's an introduction into the dark world and troubles of being overweight. This is a real sleeper. Anne Bancroft does a splendid job of direction, and her character in the film is vivid, and colorful. This is a great film. I liked it a lot, and I have seen it about 5 times.

I remember seeing Fatso for the first time in Madison, WI in 1980 and I thought it was a sad but funny movie. It was sad throughout several portions of the movie, including the opening scene when the DiNapoli family gathered at the funeral of cousin Sal, who died of obesity, motivating Dom's sister Antoinette (hysterically portrayed by Anne Bancroft in her movie debut as writer and director) to persuade him to make an appointment with the diet doctor.

Things go well until he threatens his brother (Ron Carey) with a knife and goes nuts and starts crying in self-pity and binges with his Chubby Checkers Sonny and Oscar. Meanwhile, things get back on track when he falls in love with Lydia, played by the lovely Candy Azzara but one day she's not home and Dom is so distraught so he eats a humongous order of Chinese food. Once again he wallows away in tears of self-pity. Once he finds out that Lydia is OK, things get back to normal, they get married and they live happily ever after.

There was one other scene that cracked me up. The scene where Dom bought a birthday cake for his nephew Anthony and he ate part of it, causing Antoinette to get hysterical and throw the cake around.

It's a shame that Dom DeLuise, who played Dom so well in his first starring role in a movie, Bancroft and Carey are gone. Fatso should be seen as a tribute to a fine and funny cast. Don't see it on an empty stomach.

Wow! Fatso's are people too! What a concept!!! This isn't the best movie I've ever seen. In fact, finding an audience for it is difficult in a largely overweight society. Since most are in denial, who would want to be seen waiting to get into the theater? It is, however, presented as sympathetic and is good for alot of laughs along the way.

Particularly funny is the scene where Dom's "chubby checker" is talking him down from starting an over-eating binge. Lines like, "did you ever suck the jelly out of a jelly doughnut, fill it with reese cups and melt it in the oven?", as they weaken, are priceless. Especially, when a panicky Ron Carey (who has chained the refrigerator shut), is told repeatedly and threateningly to "bring the honey, junior" (for their tea). The resulting chaos is hilarious.

It's safe to rent this one. No one will see you. And it is a cute little movie......

The very sad thing about many good movies is that they not only couldn't be made today, they can't be openly enjoyed without criticism. In Fatso, an overweight man is repeatedly harangued by his sister until he joins Overeaters Anonymous to curb his appetite. Anne Bancroft actually screams at him and hits him, calling him 'fatso' and saying he's going to die if he doesn't stop. Ever since the 'big is beautiful' campaign, it isn't socially acceptable to talk about being overweight that way. And, since American obesity has been steadily increasing through the years and decades, when you go back and watch Fatso, Dom DeLuise doesn't look nearly as overweight as he did in 1980. It's very unfortunate that this movie, obviously created with love, would be raked over the coals if viewed by modern audiences.

This movie is Anne Bancroft's baby; she wrote, directed, and co-stared as the concerned sister. She didn't make this movie to shame overweight people or laugh at them. She made it to show how hard it is to change your mindset when it's in your blood to overeat. In the beginning, we see a typical Italian family, who believe wholeheartedly that food is love, teaching their infant son to drown his unpleasant feelings in food. Feeling full is comforting, and when you've been taught that response since before you can talk, it's nearly impossible to change. From Anne's character's point of view, she's worried and frustrated that her brother is killing himself by overeating. When she slaps him and tells him he has to stop, she's reacting the say any other concerned family member would react if her brother were hooked on drugs or alcohol. If you're able to view overeating in that same vein, you'll be able to fully appreciate this movie. If you can't shake your modern goggles off, or you have no concept of the Italian culture, you're not ready for Fatso yet.