Fat Head (2009)

Director:

Tom Naughton

Writer:

Tom Naughton (written by)

Release Date:

3 February 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A comedian replies to the "Super Size Me" crowd by losing weight on a fast-food diet while demonstrating that almost everything you think you know about the obesity "epidemic" and healthy eating is wrong.

Cast

Chareva Naughton	...	Herself
Tom Naughton	...	Himself

Directed by
Tom Naughton

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tom Naughton		written by

Produced by
Page Ostrow	....	co-producer
Susan Smiley	....	producer

Original Music by
Tom Monahan

Cinematography by
Tom Naughton

Film Editing by
Tom Naughton

Art Direction by
Chareva Naughton

Sound Department
Jackie Johnson	....	dialogue editor
Jackie Johnson	....	sound editor
Woody Woodhall	....	sound designer
Woody Woodhall	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Kevin Ivers	....	digital artist

Animation Department
Kevin Ivers	....	animator
Chareva Naughton	....	character designer

Music Department
Martin Blasick	....	music producer

Production Companies

• Middle Road Pictures
• Vine Street Pictures

Distributors

• Morningstar Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Ostrow & Company  producer's representative
• Ostrow and Company Producer's Representatives  producer's representative

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Middle Road Pictures

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Super Size Me (2004)

Naughton is a strong voice for a return to reason

I felt compelled to write a review after seeing several poorly constructed ones here. Mine may not be a work of art but it's honest and I've been motivated to look into food, nutrition and health to a higher degree based on some recent experience.

My father died this July at 76. He didn't smoke or drink. He did have a strong penchant for juices, pastries and breads/cereal. He had become type II diabetic some years back. He was slightly overweight but from the outside you couldn't imagine he had 80/80/90% blockages in his 3 main coronary arteries. It was a surprise to me when he had a heart attack following knee replacement surgery (3/10) and by angiogram we discovered just how bad his health was. I didn't realize how diabetes and heart disease are closely linked. He eventually died from complications associated with diabetes/coronary heart disease and possibly depression. It all happened pretty suddenly, but the underlying conditions had been developing for years. If I knew what my sister (an MD) knew I would have seen the signs earlier.

"Fat Head" was recently introduced to me and I was struck by the incisive quality of Naughton's investigation. "Super Size Me" seemed very damning of fast food and those that were "stupid and lazy enough" to eat it. But Spurlock's representative's not releasing his food logs is very suspicious. That's where Fat Head comes in. Sure, it was cheesy in places but that's the point. Don't let the graphics and quips fool you - this really is a thoughtful, important movie that at the very least would invite viewers to dig deeper into the science of nutrition. The big take-away for me was to read more and I picked up one of the books mentioned in the movie "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. The history of how nutritional information has been lost/suppressed/perverted and ignored is striking. Yes, follow the money. Naughton doesn't strike me as a gold digger, nor a corporate patsy. Before making up your mind on any reviews (including mine), I encourage you to watch this and then dig deeper. I've been listening to my body for years when it told me a vegan/vegetarian diet just doesn't feel right. Now, via Fat Head and lots of additional research (GCBC), I'm starting to understand why. Our ancestors really did know what was going on. We'd be wise to consider that 'modern' medicine is only as good as the integrity to do real science when it comes to human health and not ignore evidence that doesn't suit our preconceived notions (as Ancel Keys famously did in being father of the incorrect Lipid Hypothesis).

This is one of the most IMPORTANT movies I've ever seen. That's why I'm giving it 9 stars.