Heavyweights

Most fun I've had with a movie in a long time. A film doesn't need to be a masterpiece to be enjoyable

Heavyweights is the story of a group of kids who with the help of their counselor go on a mission to take back their fat camp from a crazy man who has never interacted with kids before (played by Ben Stiller) who is intend on making it into a money making informercial.

I first saw this as a child, and absolutely loved it. I must have watched it again on at least 5 other occassions. Recently I was in the video store and came across a copy of it for sale. After convincing my friend to buy it , we went back to his house and popped it into the VCR. I wondered if the film would hold up after all these years. Did it? Absolutely! In fact I may have gotten bigger laughs this time around.

I do not understand why this film has a 5.1 rating, after reminding this movie to my friends they all recalled loving it, and everyone I recently watched it with loved it. Ben Stiller's character is hillarious, and the rest of the cast is great. Besides Ben, Kenan Thompson is the only other actor in this who went on to become somewhat of a star, which is suprising because all the kids give great performances. Tom Mcgowan, the man who plays Pat, seemed to be chosen for the role because Chris Farley passed on it, and John Candy died, but he gives a great performance.

I know it sounds cliche, but Heavyweights is truly one of the few movies that people of all ages will love.

9/10

This is one of the funniest movies I've seen. And fat people will not be offended, I have friends that have really been to "fat camp" and they were laughing harder than I was, and I really don't see what's so gross about it. This is a great film go out and rent it. 9.5 out of 10.

What's not to love about this movie. It's a classic 90's shenanigan comedy with the tubbies from The Mighty Ducks. They work so well together as a cast and their chemistry really shows. Although the movie's funny it doesn't start to get really good until about halfway through. It's rude, crude and childish with a carefree spirit...so moronic but you can't take it too seriously.

I do agree that it's a poor example of glutinous behaviour but even a child can tell that this is a gross over exaggeration and nobody commends this sort of diet and laziness. In saying that it's funny and not necessary about food. It's about losers becoming winners and the clinically insane getting what they deserve. And who doesn't like to watch that.

"Heavyweights" is a mid-90's Disney film about a fat camp taken over by the villainous fatboy-turned-success Tony Perkis. While the premise is not so novel, the execution is great and keeps you pretty entertained throughout.

Some of the humor is dated, very 90's-specific. However, there is plenty of timeless, cross-generational humor, and Ben Stiller is absolutely at the top of his game. He would reprise this role many times again in his career: the guy with low self-esteem who becomes an overcompensating jerk. Tom McGowan, who plays a Camp Hope lifer, also plays a solid role and draws many laughs.

Sure, it's another Disney story about underdog kids who end up conquering the odds... or something like that. But Stiller and McGowan are great, and the kids do a pretty admirable too. It's not a must-see movie, but you also won't feel like you wasted your time for having watched it.