Fat Chance 2007
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Yuka Sekiguchi
Directed by Yuka Sekiguchi
DVD, color, 50 min.
College - Adult
Health Sciences, Psychology, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Multicultural Studies, Women's Studies
Date Entered: 10/30/2008
ALA Notable: ALA.gif
Reviewed by Lori Widzinski, Health Sciences Library, University at Buffalo, State University of New York
Weight loss videos are not in short supply, it seems. NBC has the current hit reality show The Biggest Loser; search YouTube and you’ll find over 50,000 videos on weight loss. But none of these are as enjoyable, educational, entertaining, and endearing as Yuka Sekiguchi’s Fat Chance. Sekiguchi, a Japanese filmmaker living in Australia, wrote, produced and directed her own struggle with middle age weight loss. Capturing her mission on film as a means of motivating herself proves to be a good decision for Yuka. We all reap the benefits of her hard work by getting to know this cheerful, optimistic woman who grapples with her demons, and who could be any one of us.
Embarking on her quest for a better body, Sekiguchi discovers the interconnectedness of the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the “self” involved in self-improvement. She leaves no stone unturned by seeking the advice of an obesity expert, a physical trainer, a stylist, and her friends. Her progress is slow; her love of tasty, fatty foods is a huge obstacle for her. Then, her biggest breakthroughs come from two physicians—her psychiatrist, a specialist in overeating, and from a plastic surgeon. These two doctors really create the impetus for change in Yuka. Her therapy sessions hold the key to helping her become whole, so she can view weight loss in a different context. In the process she heals old family issues, many of which centered on food and her Japanese culture. These sessions have the largest impact on her success. The plastic surgeon on the other hand, influences Yuka in a much more subtle way. While it is clear to her that plastic surgery is not the way to go, the handsome doctor reignites an interest in men that her unhappy marriage and divorce seemed to snuff out.
Production values are first-rate, and this extremely likeable film will fit nicely into academic nutrition and health sciences collections, as well as women’s studies, social work and multicultural studies. Recommended.