Heavyweights

A clunky Disney movie from 1995 about a “fat camp” for kids that tries as hard as it can NOT to be mean to fat kids. The cult-like health guru, a straining Ben Stiller, is the villain who only wants money and fame for being a dietary wiz. The kids form a strong ensemble but seem to be too obsessed with candy. Ultimately, kids’ movies about underdogs culminate in some kind of showdown. A race or something to pit the misfits against the Alphas. In this case, it’s a go-cart race – something that requires less strenuous physicality, which suits the portly hero. It’s rough, it’s loud, and it’s a bit dated, so it fits in well with Meatballs and Little Darlings.