Heavyweights 1995

They don't run the fastest. They don't jump the highest. But they sure are getting the last laugh.

6.1 / 10   358 vote(s)
PG
Family Comedy

Camp Hope is a summer retreat for overweight boys run by a kindly couple who make the campers feel comfortable with their extra pounds. But when tyrannical fitness guru Tony buys the camp, he puts the kids on a cruel regimen that goes too far. Sick of the endless weeks of "all work and no play," the kids stage a coup and reclaim their summer of fun.

Release Date 1995-02-17
Runtime 1h 40m
Directors Steven Brill, David B. Householter, Victor Hammer, Richard Oswald, Steve Boyum, Merrilee Dale, Alan Hopkins, Michael Ferris
Producers Charles J.D. Schlissel, Joe Roth, Jack Giarraputo, Michael Fottrell, Sarah Bowman, Judd Apatow, Roger Birnbaum
Writers Steven Brill, Judd Apatow

A one-joke film.

I expected a fair deal from 'Heavyweights', especially after seeing Ben Stiller was involved. Unfortunately, it never takes off after the initial joke becomes tiresome; the characters are fat, that's basically it. It needed more meat on the bones (pardon the pun), too mediocre.

Stiller isn't great either, in a part which is basically a watered down version of the role he'd play nine years year, White Goodman, in 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story' - he, surely, used this character, Tony, as inspiration for White? Elsewhere, you have two of the funnier kids from 'The Mighty Ducks' series, as well as a few fairly known faces like Jeffrey Tambor (Maury) and Tim Blake Nelson (Roger).

I get the intentions, but the heartfelt message that (I think) the film aims for doesn't really come out clearly. The ending feels like an unconnected add-on that was put in to add to the run time. In truth, it isn't anything terrible - I just wanted and expected more.

r96sk