Phat Girlz (2006)

23% of critics liked it
(43 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(66,435 ratings)

A woman makes it her business to convince the world that bigger is better in this comedy. Jazmin Biltmore (Mo'Nique) is a plus-size woman trying to find a place in the skin-and-bones world of high fashion. Jazmin has her heart set on launching her own line of clothes for large ladies, but she hasn't… More A woman makes it her business to convince the world that bigger is better in this comedy. Jazmin Biltmore (Mo'Nique) is a plus-size woman trying to find a place in the skin-and-bones world of high fashion. Jazmin has her heart set on launching her own line of clothes for large ladies, but she hasn't had much luck convincing the moneymen that there's a market for her work. Jazmin is also looking for love, but she finds that few men are willing to look past her dress size and see the woman within. Jazmin is becoming despondent when she gets some good news -- she's won an all-expenses paid trip for two to an exclusive resort in Palm Springs, and she and her best friend, Stacey (Kendra C. Johnson), another zaftig woman, head out to enjoy some fun and sun. While on vacation, Jazmin meets Tunde (Jimmy Jean-Louis), a handsome and successful doctor from Nigeria, and she discovers to her surprise that Tunde is strongly attracted to her. Tunde tells Jazmin than in his country, large women are considered beautiful, and his friend Akibo (Godfrey) is similarly drawn to Stacey. Will Jazmin's new luck in love follow into other parts of her life or is Tunde's interest in her just a passing fancy? Phat Girlz was the first feature film from writer and director Nnegest Likké. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Nnegest Likké
Written By: Nnegest Likké
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 7, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Aug 22, 2006
Studio: Fox Searchlight

Critic Reviews

Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly
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.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
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.
Nathan Lee, New York Times
Barely written and stiffly directed by Nnegest Likké, Phat Girlz is an undernourished comedy about a sassy, overweight heroine.
Joe Leydon, Variety
A thin comedy about a size-plus heroine.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
The film is amateurishly directed and sluggishly paced with an anorexic plot. Even the photography, sound and costumes are substandard.
Robert Dominguez, New York Daily News
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.
Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media
Uneven Mo'Nique vehicle; not for kids.
Christopher Campbell, Cinematical
It does suffer ... from actually having way too much heart and not enough soul, its identity lost far beneath its ambitions for affirmation.
David Noh, Film Journal International
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.
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Almost stunning in its determination to be the ultimate wish-fulfillment fantasy vehicle for plus-sized African-American women...
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel, 3BlackChicks Review
Skinny on plot, story, directing and some of the acting.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
looks cheap and falls apart after the first act.
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies
even though this movie is a bit of a mess, it turns out to be unexpectedly sweet and funny. Its very amateurishness gives it freshness and authenticity.
Mark Olsen, L.A. Weekly
[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.
Scott Tobias, AV Club
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
Linda Cook, Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
Uneven but lovable, "Phat Girlz" comes strutting on to the screen. As well it should.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

Better than I expected, (which was to have to turn it off twenty minutes into the film!). I'm not sure the message was that great, as let's face it, to be that overweight is actually a health issue, (and I am not having a go - I know some people really do struggle with… More
Better than I expected, (which was to have to turn it off twenty minutes into the film!). I'm not sure the message was that great, as let's face it, to be that overweight is actually a health issue, (and I am not having a go - I know some people really do struggle with their weight or have a genuine problem with it), but look, for what it was, which was a comedy aimed at bigger women as an ego boost, it was surprisingly watchable and even had a few laughs to it, even if it was verging on size-ist at times (Which was pretty bizarre to be "thin bashed"LOL). The whole thing is totally far fetched, but it has a niceness to it so I was able to look past that.
Yinalí R

Love the movie.
William G

Good-natured and fairly tolerable.
Quinto W

So, this movie wants to make fun of fat girls (oh, snap, her clothes are too small! she only wants donuts!) but at the same time make you skinny bitch feel bad for laughing. I still can't believe I never change the channel whenever it's on 4379 times a week.
Leo L

Fantastic!
Janice :

cute and fun, but Mo'Nique gets on my nerves sometimes... grls are beautiful no matter what they size is!