Phat Girlz: Critic Reviews

Jazmin's so fat that the movie reduces her to a single discernible characteristic, which is a telltale mark of many a wholly awful comedy.

Barely written and stiffly directed by Nnegest Likké, Phat Girlz is an undernourished comedy about a sassy, overweight heroine.

This is a disarming and, in its own way, delightful vehicle for its star and executive producer, the comedian and actress Mo'Nique. Who could hate this movie?

Beneath the movie's broad humor and meanspirited put-downs lies an uplifting story about learning to like yourself for who you are, not what you look like.

It's a chick flick with good intentions about self-image and body size, yet it leaves an icky aftertaste.

A thin comedy about a size-plus heroine.

The film is amateurishly directed and sluggishly paced with an anorexic plot. Even the photography, sound and costumes are substandard.

The cast is likeable, although they deserve a better movie, and at a lean 99 minutes, at least the plot hasn't been padded. But there's only so far you can go with fat jokes, as plus-sized comic Mo'Nique is discovering.

If it weren't for Mo'Nique's fresh, appealing screen presence, Phat Girlz would fall flat.

The first word of the movie's title stands for Pretty Hot and Thick. The second word is never spelled out, but it could mean Good Intentions Ruined by Lousy Zingers.

It does suffer ... from actually having way too much heart and not enough soul, its identity lost far beneath its ambitions for affirmation.

Although Phat Girlz...looks to have been made on a shoestring, with muddy, unflattering lighting (by two cinematographers), there is nonetheless something to be commended here.

Almost stunning in its determination to be the ultimate wish-fulfillment fantasy vehicle for plus-sized African-American women...

Skinny on plot, story, directing and some of the acting.

looks cheap and falls apart after the first act.

While it's a pleasure to watch the likeable Kendra Johnson open up and come out of her shell, Phat Girlz belongs to Mo'Nique, a grating, belligerent woman who alternates self-deprecating fat jokes with drama-queen meltdowns and simpering pleas for

[Mo'Nique's] sassy forte may be talking so straight-up she sounds crazy, but she seems a little advanced to be doing 'yo mama' jokes.