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| FAT GIRL (2001) | |
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Two
teenage sisters, Anaïs and Elena, are on vacation with their
parents. This means when the older, Elena, begins to explore the
quiet seaside town the younger, Anaïs, tags along. On their trivial
explorations the girls talk about what interests them the most, love, as
both girls are curious and beginning to form their own notions on
love. Elena is the slim, pretty, and confident sister that has
intrinsic needs to feel and express love, while Anaïs is round and timid,
yet perceptive and thoughtful. Often Anaïs drifts into a
melancholic slump in which she recites gloomy poetry as an internal
reflection, which becomes a psychosocial depiction of anxiety in regards
to her own body image.
When the two sisters encounter Fernando, an Italian law student on vacation with the parents, Elena is flattered by his attention to her. They quickly initiate a close physical connection as Fernando desires Elena while Elena wishes for love. However, the connection between Elena and Fernando is doomed from the moment they met as he is quick to meet her requests in order to accomplish the mission to conquer her. Anaïs sees through Fernando's charade, but Elena does not want to hear about it as her wishes for love are stronger than her convictions. It is expected that Elena will be hurt, as the painful journey to come of age continues, but she cannot abandon Fernando as her wisdom does not supersede her inner desire to share the affection of love. In the shadow of Elena's disastrous love affair Anaïs witnesses everything as she shares a room with her older sister. Anaïs's witness to Elena's journey affects her perception of herself and love as her thoughts of herself grow darker and deeper. Fat Girl is no rosy teenage love comedy, which frequently is released from major production companies. Instead the director Catherine Breillat portrays a dark and hard-hitting coming of age story that strikes the retina with haunting realism and the eardrum with gloomy poetry, which leaves a lasting imprint in the cerebral cortex. The cinematography and mise-en-scene enhance the cinematic experience as they enhances the dark atmosphere which Anaïs is experiencing. The beach scene where Anaïs lays on the sand as the sea water barely reaches her is an unforgettable moment as it illustrates her perception of her existence. Lastly, the final sequences of the film will unexpectedly shake a drained audience as it offers much to reflect upon in Anaïs's perspective. |
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DIRECTED BY |
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COUNTRY |
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France / Italy |
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| REVIEWED | |
| 11/5/2004 | |
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The Internet Movie Database. |
