Disfigured (2008) User Reviews

disFOCUSED!

[StrayFeral · 6/10 · 28 October 2008]

This is the most controversial movie, I saw in last few years. I am bit rounded too, as my wife is. This is the only movie we watched for double its time, since all the time we were pausing it to discuss it (so consider it really worths watching!). For everybody in the group of rounded or anorexic people, this would be interesting to see. I will not reveal details of the movie, in short I will mention it is about an overweight and an anorexic women, trying to face and solve their problems. The movie is really well made, by script and performance. There are just two weak spots.

First, the script itself. The movie tries to tell that we should accept the way we are. Well - totally wrong! We should accept it just to a certain level. Then whatever we dislike, we can change. Yes - we can and must change ourselves - strive for perfection, because we could never be perfect, but in the pursuit of perfection is where we get better and learn to fight. So overweight and anorexic people should not satisfy and stay the way they are and ask the world to accept them - they should fight to change instead and there is where the world would accept them! I don't know about anorexic people, but fat people could do diets and same time go to gym/parks for workouts. The main character complains about gyms and this is totally wrong. (believe me as overweight, this is what I do - diets + gym and it works) Second, this movie should change its title from "disFigured" to "disFOCUSED!". This is the worse shoot movie ever. The camera man really need more practice. First the camera moves too much and then it loses focus with the objects very often. True - for less than a second, but it really pisses me off.

Apart of this, the actors are very cute and it really makes you think about the way you live. The interaction between the main characters - the contrast of the overweight and the anorexic woman is very interesting, so just go see it!

Compelling film observing some very real issues in our world...

[phila-3 · 10/10 · 4 March 2008]

An exceptionally well-made and powerful piece that focuses on women and their body images. This tells an interesting diametric between Lydia, a genuinely overweight retail clerk, and Darcy, an anorexic real estate agent who envisions her stick-figure self as obese, and the friendship bond that they form. This film could have dove into some characteristic fat and skinny jokes, and maybe even gotten a bit darker than it should, but instead, it touched on the subjects with care and intelligence that, if nothing else, will give the audience a means to look at themselves, and perhaps understand what others go through.

Director Glenn Gers expertly touches upon this tale from thoughts that he had had himself about how women saw themselves. Through some research and good dialog writing, the film touches upon a wide variety of issues that surround obesity, anorexia, self- envisionment, and the anger that can arise. Much of the dialog was ad-libbed by the actors, given only the instructions to follow whatever they would normally say or want to talk about - especially during the social group for fat people scenes. Should obese people accept the term "fat," or embrace it? Should other people be forced to face them and deal with it? Would boycotting help? What about anorexics who view themselves as fat, and think others see them that way? Should fat people take offense, or be more understanding of their plight?

There are places of slight unreality, and some questionable discussions of how certain things might be handled, but it's not so much that it affects the outcome of the film and its message. One thing to point out as well are the main actresses - neither of whom has any major personal issues, nor eating disorders, in their real lives. Overall, "Disfigured" is compelling, and excellently made. Recommended for everyone to see, to help promote better understanding of ourselves.

Amazing Must-See Film

[pischina · 10/10 · 16 August 2008]

This was a truly amazing film, and one everyone should see - whether you are fit, fat or in-between. It brings up a lot of interesting subjects and surprised me in that early on it is made clear that this is not a movie about making overweight women feel proud of themselves. It also doesn't really answer any questions about weight issues today - what it does is make you think: about how you view yourself and how you view other people, and this includes the overweight as well as the underweight. And yet still it was about so much more. I had the pleasure of meeting cast and crew at Cinequest in San Jose and this was one of my favorite films of the festival.

An honest look at weight problems

[treeline1 · 27 August 2010]

As the story opens, we see Lydia in her Fat Acceptance Group and hear the anger, pain, and frustration shared by all of the members. They are shocked when Darcy, an anorexic-looking woman comes in and asks to join the group because she feels fat, too. The two lonely women begin a tentative friendship based on their mutual isolation from mainstream society, but their years of rejection may keep them from really being comfortable with each other.

The movie begins like a documentary or reality show, but quickly takes a dramatic turn as we get to know spunky, troubled Lydia and morose Darcy. Women of all sizes can relate to the pressure to be perfect and the misery of those afflicted with compulsive overeating or starving. The movie does not resolve any issues and there are no magical make-overs; it just brings an important subject to light and opens it up for discussion.

I think the writer/director made the most with a budget of $50K, but it still looks like a student film. The dialogue is sometimes dull and the sound quality is poor as is the photography. Most of all, the actors, while earnest, were simply not good enough to make me forget I was watching a cheap movie. On the plus side, the film does bring to light a very serious problem plaguing millions who wonder everyday, "What good am I if I'm not perfect?"