1. The film that I viewed was titled A Matter of Size. I was able to view this film at Malco Theaters in Madison, Mississippi on Saturday January 28th at 7:15pm.
2. A Matter of Size focuses on the main character Herzl, a plus size chef. Not very far into the film, it becomes clear that Herzl is self conscious about his weight, and has a hard time accepting or having confidence in himself. This situation is exacerbated when he is essentially fired for being overweight. After this incident, he begins to work as a dishwasher at a local Japanese restaurant, where he discovers the sport of Sumo. Herzl is surprised that people of such size can be looked upon with respect in a culture. As a result, Herzl bravely quits his dieting class, convincing a few friends to do so along the way, to start a Sumo club. He and his friends are taught by his boss, Kutano, with one exception. Herzl's love interest Zehava is not allowed to continue with the club because she is a woman. Herzl continues the club without her knowledge. The friends continue to practice, all while continuing to through subplots of love, coming out, and infidelity. Eventually the club battles against one another in the regional Sumo championship to determine who will continue to the national championship. Herzl wins, but does not accept the trophy because he deems it more important to reconcile his relationship with Zehava, wich falls apart during the movie.
If I had to offer a very brief summary of the film is would be as follows: Herzl looses his job, Herzl starts a Sumo club as a result, and finally Herzl finds himself, and can be happy with his weight because of Sumo.
3. As far as quality and style, I was not expecting the film to be up to the caliber that it was. I assumed that the film would appear low budget, homemade, or even documentary like. Though the budget may have indeed been low, the editing and style was great. It had the makings of a film that could very well be hugely popular. With a little "gloss", and perhaps a bit more editing, I could even see it in a box office. Another thing that stood out to me in this film was the music. It may not have always been the main focus, but it was there in the background. The music was in a decidedly Jewish style, which I think did a great job of representing its culture while combining with that of Japan's.
4. I like that these characters were very real and heartfelt. The situations presented were all ones that I'm sure most people in the audience could relate to. Whether it be love and loss, coming out, finding oneself, or simply being over weight, it was all there. This gave the film a very real and visceral quality.
5. For me, the film lost pace in some parts. The characters kept running into problems, and oftentimes they were the same problems over and over again. If I had been making the film, I would have tried to make the storyline flow, connect, and pick up more than it did. As for resolution, I would have liked to see a little more of it. We really only see the a resolution for Herzl. What about all of his other friends? Perhaps I would have done simple pictures along with the credits that highlight how his other friend's relationships were resolved.
A Matter of Size, Synopsis and Trailer
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