S.F. Gay

Fat Girls

By DENNIS HARVEY

A Cranium Entertainment production in association with Hear No Evil Films. Produced by Ash Christian, Kim Fishman. Executive producers, Michele Levy, Howard P. Cohen, Anita Collen, Phil Collen, Friley Davidson, Chris De Camp. Directed, written by Ash Christian.
 
With: Ash Christian, Ashley Fink, Jonathan Caouette, Robin De Jesus, Deborah Theaker, Ellen Albertini Dow, Justin Bruening, Alexa Havins, Evan Miller, Joe Flaten.
 

Placing the crass high school surrealist humor of "Strangers With Candy" in the familiar frame of a gay-teenage-misfit's coming-out saga, producer-writer-director-star Ash Christian's "Fat Girls" wins no points for delicacy. Still, it does score some laughs. Low budget presentation will play best on the small screen, which makes the most commercial sense for pic after touring gay fests.

Broadway-ambitious high school senior Rodney Miller (Christian) considers himself a "fat girl" not because he's chubby and flamey but because it's a "state of mind" -- a low-self-esteem that by pic's end turns into a gotta-be-me affirmation. His best friend is genuinely female and extra-large Sabrina (Ashley Fink). She finds romance in Cuban-refugee sophomore Rudy (Robin De Jesus), while Rodney is shocked when hot new British classmate Joey (Joe Flaten) accepts his invitation to the Graduation Dance. (Why not just call it a prom?) With one character (played by "Tarnation" auteur Jonathan Caouette) called Seymour Cox, "Fat Girls" ain't aiming for nuance. Jokes are hit-and-miss, but they splat target often enough to make this a guilty pleasure that homophile fans of both "Napoleon Dynamite" and "American Pie" might enjoy.

Camera (color, video), Vincent Wrenn; editor, Karl Kimbrough; music, Chris Gubisch; production designer, Lynne Moon. Reviewed on DVD, San Francisco, June 18, 2006. (In San Francisco Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.) Running time: 88 MIN.