So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a good portion of its two hour long story was actually a very articulate and emotionally compelling look at the cold war between obese individuals and the peers who judge them. Ally’s goal during the documentary is to prove that fat people use their weight as an excuse to self-isolate, to enable themselves from participating in social events and relationships, and to obscure personality and determination with a fat identity instead. As expected, her original hypothesis is proven wrong when Fat Ally is almost instantly rejected and ridiculed by the students at her new summer school, and she is forced to befriend the school outcasts in order to make sense of her defeat.

It is during these scenes with her new friends Ramona and George (Melissa Halstrom and Scott Little) that the movie demonstrates its merit. Ramona, a beautiful, brilliant, and morbidly obese high schooler with little or no demonstrable self-esteem, is given some of the most poignant lines in the movie as she talks about her weight, her self-image, even the secret stash of junk food in the glove compartment of her car. Ally quickly realizes through these conversations that while being overweight is certainly a personal problem in terms of physical health, the obese are also given no choice in the matter when the public wishes to make it a social problem as well. Fat adolescents are, in effect, left with absolutely no control over their body and how it looks, because the popular media, and ultimately their peer groups have decided it’s simply unacceptable to be obviously overweight. Ramona also touches on another sticky subject regarding fat culture; hierarchies exist even among the overweight themselves, and she is quick to point out that she looks up to Ally because of her beautiful features and exuberant personality. The film is a refreshing contrast from the other “fat suit” endeavors that have come before, because the writers of the film made an effort to include the voices of obese teenagers who don’t have the luxury of stepping out of the fat suit at the end of the day.

Another interesting story arc is Ally’s relationship with her overweight mother (Caroline Rhea) and chunky younger brother (Brandon Olds). Rhea’s performance as a compulsive overeater who ultimately ran through the family’s nest egg due to a diabetes-related heart attack is sympathetic, if a little wooden. After a series of bitter confrontations about her mom’s eating habits, another golden moment in the movie occurs when Ally finally realizes she resents her mother’s weight and personal choices because of fear instead of disgust. It’s an important lesson for anyone struggling with self-image and fat acceptance, because the fear of “catching fat” or losing a loved one due to a preventable condition can be incredibly powerful, if not always explainable.

The plot twists and resolutions in the movie are predictable for the most part, and a bit heavy handed as the film finally reaches its conclusion (I think it would’ve greatly benefited from shaving off at least thirty minutes worth of scenes on either end), but the conversations sandwiched in the middle are definitely worth checking out. As an overweight individual, it gave me a new perspective on how to handle the reactions from my friends and family members, and I think it was an admirable gesture to inform viewers that compassion, rather than shame or guilt, will help all of us win our battle against the obesity epidemic.

Bottom Line: Don’t plan your week around watching it, but it’s definitely worth some TiVo time.