To Be Fat Like Me

Watch To Be Fat Like Me

  • TV-PG
  • 2007
  • 1 hr 38 min
  • 5.6  (2,675)

To Be Fat Like Me is a made-for-television movie from 2007 that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. Starring Kaley Cuoco, who is now known for her role in The Big Bang Theory, the movie is about a high school student named Aly (played by Melissa Halstrom) who decides to go undercover as a larger girl in order to win a journalism scholarship.

Aly is a driven student who dreams of becoming a journalist, but her school doesn't offer a journalism program, and her parents can't afford to send her to college. When she learns about a scholarship for promising high school journalists, she knows that she has to try for it. But the scholarship requires a personal essay about something that the student has overcome, and Aly doesn't have any significant hardships to write about.

Frustrated and desperate, Aly decides to make herself fat using padding and makeup, and to enroll in a neighboring high school as a new transfer student. Her goal is to document the experience of being overweight in high school and write her essay about it. But as she gets deeper into the experience, Aly realizes that being overweight is much harder than she ever imagined.

At her new school, Aly struggles to fit in with her fellow overweight students, who have been bullied and marginalized for their size. She also finds that the staff at the school treats overweight students differently and assigns them to different classes and activities. Aly's makeup and padding make it hard for her to move around and do everyday activities, and she struggles to keep up with her classes while also trying to maintain her cover.

As the days go by, Aly starts to feel a sense of camaraderie with her new friends, and she becomes invested in the challenges that they face. She witnesses firsthand how cruel people can be to overweight people, and she realizes that she needs to use her experience to raise awareness and promote empathy. But as the deadline for the scholarship approaches, Aly realizes that she can't keep up the lie forever.

To Be Fat Like Me is a powerful movie that tackles issues like body image, bullying, and empathy in a sensitive and nuanced way. The movie does not shy away from the difficult realities of being overweight in high school, but it also shows how kindness and support from others can make a big difference.

Kaley Cuoco gives a standout performance as Aly's older sister, who is initially dismissive of Aly's plan but who eventually becomes her biggest cheerleader. Melissa Halstrom is also excellent as Aly, portraying the character's frustration, vulnerability, and growth with sensitivity and depth.

Overall, To Be Fat Like Me is a must-see movie for anyone who has ever felt marginalized or bullied, and for anyone who wants to promote empathy and understanding in their community. It is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and think, and one that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

To Be Fat Like Me
To Be Fat Like Me doesn't appear to be available from any streaming services.
Add this movie to your Watchlist to get notified when it's available.
Description
  • Release Date
    2007
  • MPAA Rating
    TV-PG
  • Runtime
    1 hr 38 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    5.6  (2,675)