WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Exquisite impeccability. The search for what we seem to deem “perfection” has been constant throughout the history of our world, finding so many ways to worm its way into our minds, whether from personal or career-centric avenues. More so in this day and age when the internet and social media flood us with all that is seen as “worthy” or “the standard”, it’s a wonder our mental and physical well-being can be so drastically, sometimes tragically, impacted. Wholly likable but sadly unpopular teen Lexi (Stella Stevens) harbors a massive obsession for hot social influencer Carly (India Lillie Davies), to the point of effectively wishing to BE her. But, as the pressure mounts in Lexi’s mind to find what she seems to believe is true self-appreciation, at what cost will this pursuit of “being all that” come down to?
Next, my Mind:
Fearless and definitively resolute in purpose, unfaltering in its persuasiveness, and committed to illustrating the all-too-real dangers that teenagers (and ALL of us, frankly) must face in this time of relentless bombardment of what we’re “supposed to strive for” thanks to unwavering taskmasters known as the World Wide Web and social media, this 15-minute indie short film from writer/director/producer Makez Rikweda plus producers Clarissa Itschert, Emma Keeling, Don Omope, and Sol Rikweda puts the sum of this before us in a manner that is as compellingly necessary as it is (or SHOULD be to us) unsettling. Over the many years now covering indie cinema, I still continue to marvel at the ability of this community to discover means to tread on oft-covered ground but manage to do so in a fresh, engaging, and fully grounded stylistic approach that ensures we’re reminded about the realities of what impacts us as a society and how much we need to take it all FAR more seriously in managing both our mental and physical state of being. The project just had a recent screening as part of the 2023 HollyShorts Film Festival, where I very much pray it had its OWN unequivocally stirring magnitude of social influencing on audiences and now beyond.
Coming from the perspective of a very much alone teenage girl bearing the brunt of everything from peer pressure to a shattered self-image to the “release” she believes will be the answer to all the stress, anxiety, outward discontent, and inner pain she’s experiencing, the film wastes no time exercising both subtle but mostly blatant forays into the character’s point of view about these struggles while more than making a point to showcase the SOURCE of such issues—which is primarily, for this critic anyway, celebrity worship and the consequences that come from thinking they are “it” when it comes to how we should look, live, love, treat others, and conduct ourselves. Now, don’t misunderstand here, as there are plenty of legitimately GOOD and FUN things to be gained from following influencers, celebrities, etc on these social platforms. BUT, it is when things are taken to such a profound extreme and we take for granted that the influence being conveyed may not remotely be as healthy as it tries to come across, especially for those taking it in who battle the HIGHLY prevalent and disheartening monster that is low self-esteem, that we MUST take better notice and BE there for those who’ve been caught up in it to their detriment.
Once we begin to compare ourselves to others (yes, we’ve most certainly ALL done it…A LOT!) as it is, it’s a set-up for all sorts of potential pitfalls. The film looks at this foundational concept AT one of it’s totally realistic and eerily relevant peaks where pre-defined “beauty” turns out to be only on the surface and actual substance and personal value gets thrown out the door. From this point, we’re entreated to an inventory of circumstances that arise, from unrealistic expectations, crushing body dysmorphia, unhealthy obsession to “be” someone else rather than yourself, feeling invisible, resentment of others, loneliness, feeling a sense of absolute non-acceptance, seeing perceived “imperfections” we possess, coping mechanisms, eating disorders, cosmetic enhancement, and more that equals a portrait of self-loathing in the end, all because of trying to find worth in something or someone else instead of loving and being content with who WE are and knowing THAT is a BEAUTIFUL thing. Period. When the finale of this effort arrives, saying it leaves an impression would be an understatement in just how disturbing it really is. It’s deeply effective, undeniably affecting, and should be an awareness-raising endeavor whose themes this critic hopes will SINK IN with viewers.
The film’s music score from Hollie Buhagiar stuck out to me as well, for its mainly ominous tones and feel so deftly added the perfectly needed atmosphere to events depicted. Stevens is a force to be reckoned with here, providing us a picture of such heartrending and heartbreaking strife while desperately attempting to just BE, and be HAPPY, through her role as Lexi, a teenage girl on the brink of total breakdown as she keeps wanting TO be herself, yet gets drawn into the damaging realm of thinking she’s not enough as she is. Focused on the “advice”, actions, and demeanor of a prominent social media influencer, Lexi’s descent into further dissatisfaction leads her down a road of increasingly escalating levels of shallow means to find herself, only to have it lead to a utterly embittered, and possibly dramatically disastrous, endgame. How Stevens endears us to the character’s plight, with our empathy in full gear, but then drops an emphatic bombshell on us is beautifully and skillfully delivered for maximum sway and significance by the actress, a credit to her talents and ability to be as believable as possible, making the film so relatable and, sadly, true to life.
Davies is also quite the memorable presence to be sure through her role as the film’s “antagonist” (if you will) Carly, a hugely popular social media influencer whose bubbly personality yet cliché-ridden “words of wisdom”, almost patronizing “remember, I love you all”, and totally surface-level attitude has captured the attention of too many a teen girl who now only want to BE her and might as well think she’s “god”. Even as her own success rises and the rewards she’s reaping from it all (monetarily and otherwise) pour in, it becomes a realization that Carly has NO idea just how NOT healthy her notions about what it is to be beautiful are, and that for all her mass appeal, there’s are dark sides to her popularity, which of course, she’ll most likely never know about. It’s this picture of complete obliviousness that Davies does an amazing job at portraying, and it so adeptly befits the character and the intent here to a “T”.
Additional, primary supporting roles/appearances come into play from Carla Colado, Sunderani Sharma, Connie Jenkins-Greig, and Niamh Laughlin. So, in total, “Fat Girl” resonates with a resoundingly acute and assuredly intense emotional and dramatic weight, a decidedly cautionary tale unflinchingly addressing what we should NOT allow to dictate our self worth nor allow to HAVE the leverage over us that it does. Social media is meant to be fun and entertaining, NOT something that leads to suddenly HATE who we are, much less take us in a direction that would encourage us to proverbially or literally HURT ourselves out of a false mindset that the “enhancements” so many people try to peddle are needed, rather than looking in the mirror and acknowledging the ACTUAL value and desirability that’s already looking right back at us. Be REAL. Be YOU. IT…IS…ENOUGH!!
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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