MovieChat Forums > Queen Sized (2008) Discussion > COMPLETELY unrealistic because...

COMPLETELY unrealistic because...

posted 16 years ago by Istlady86
17 replies | jump to latest

Am I the ONLY one that thought it was a little ridiculous when she was eating at the high school party. I'm only saying this because most people who are overweight do most of their eating in private. I know that if I was that large, I'd stay AS FAR AWAY from the table of food as possible, and then probably go home and eat after. I wouldn't want the other people at the party to see me eating or even stand NEAR the food, thus associating me with it.

Also, I was a little surprised to see how open with eating she was in front of her mother. I was shocked to see her admitting to going to "get ice cream", etc. I was just expecting this all to be done in private, due to embarrassment and guilt.

[–] ThreeWordsToLife 16 years ago

I don't think the fact that she ate in the open made the movie unrealistic. Not every overweight person is ashamed of there weight and has a problem eating in public. I think the simple fact that she was out dancing around and being her self with her friend showed that she was comfortable with her self at the party and wouldn't of thought twice about eating. She grabbed a few chips, she wasn't sitting there pigging out on food.

With the mother I see were you coming with that only because she was using her mom to criticize her in her mind. If not for that reason then no I don't think its odd that she ate in front of her mom.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] WishfulDreamer 16 years ago

Sorry to be random...but those chips and that salsa looked really delicious...

Back to being on-topic, many overweight people do eat in the open. But I think if I was overweight and was in her position, I would be standing away from the food. But I can't say for sure since I'm not overweight (I'm actually the opposite and need to GAIN weight) But when I'm insecure about something and worried about what others think, I usually stay away from that.

"Everything I do, I do it for you."

[–] Genzo_Lorenzo 16 years ago

first of all: im guessing ur not overwieght (because ur so SUBTLE about it in ur post), and while thats great for u, i can clearly see ur un-empathetic to overwieght ppl. not ur fault i suppose, and being overwight is something that all people would avoid if they could, but just because ppl are overwight does not mean that they should "stand away from the food" or hide themselves or feel shameful because they are who they are. maybe u should learn to be less vain, and more empathetic to people who have to suffer ridicule because of what they look like. not all people are born to be slim, and while some overweight people overcome that and loose the weight, a great majority dont, which tells u that it is not an easy thing to do. i bet u'll find that only in the most extreme cases of obesity does the person actually eat a substancial amount of extra food. I eat a lot less than some of my slimmer friends, and yet i am bigger, because there is that gene in my family. i exercise with sport 4 times a week. i am just unlucky genetically and metabolically, whereas u were fortunate in that department, and not so much in the human consideration department.

[–] happyphantom9 10 years ago

Where did she shame anyone in her post? How was she vain? All she said was that she was underweight. That automatically means she is "vain"? Give me a break.

[–] milehighgirl42 16 years ago

A reply to what Istlady86 said
"Am I the ONLY one that thought it was a little ridiculous when she was eating at the high school party. I'm only saying this because most people who are overweight do most of their eating in private. I know that if I was that large, I'd stay AS FAR AWAY from the table of food as possible, and then probably go home and eat after. I wouldn't want the other people at the party to see me eating or even stand NEAR the food, thus associating me with it.

Also, I was a little surprised to see how open with eating she was in front of her mother. I was shocked to see her admitting to going to "get ice cream", etc. I was just expecting this all to be done in private, due to embarrassment and guilt." Istlady86
It's not unusual really how she ate in front of people like that. The way she ate is a disorder just like anorexia is. You keep telling yourself "I need more food to block everything out!", and you tell yourself this no matter where you are if you are stressed out or whatever. So it isn't really unrealistic. I do get what you mean though when you say that a lot of overweight people would usually be self concience to eat in front of others. I think in this case though since it is a disorder that Maggie was struggling with she didn't really care wether she ate in front of people or not.

[–] imdb78 16 years ago

What really bugged me about this film and the food factor is how they portrayed Nikki's character as having little secret stashes of junk food EVERYWHERE. Also, when things got tough emotionally or psychologically, they had her running for the "comfort food" and stuffing her face.

This is not the way all overweight people are! We don't all go diving headlong into a gallon of ice cream or a case of Ho Hos when the going gets tough. We don't walk around with a stash of Ding Dongs or Little Debbie hidden in every drawer, closet, purse or glove compartment. Some of us even eat fairly healthily, but just don't look like the girls on the cover of Natural Health.

Certainly there are many misconceptions about larger folks out there, and their relationship with food and eating habits is one of them.

[–] pappycat 16 years ago

I am definitely a fat person and I have no problem eating in public. People see me and they already know that I'm fat, they know that I eat.

One thing that bothered me about this movie, and about all of these kinds of movies is that while I was teased in school this was a HUGE exaggeration. I'm sorry, but people aren't THAT mean just because you are fat... if that is the only thing tease worthy you have going, people probably won't tease you. I was pretty popular in school, I was even Prom Queen.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Lacy1136 16 years ago

Well I'm overweight, and I agree that *I* don't have stashes of food all over the place, but I know people who have. I'm not really someone who eats when I'm upset, though--and there are lots of people who do that.

Re: OP, I have to say I totally agree that it was unrealistic to show her eating like that at the party. Sure, some overweight people are comfortable with their weight, but it was already established that she wasn't. People were constantly making fun of her weight--just going near the food table would cause snickers, so I'd think she'd stay far far away.

Maybe I was lucky, but I don't remember being teased much in school. Maybe in high school there was one girl/group who would make comments a few times in PE, but quite frankly by the time I was in HS, I didn't really care what that particular group of people had to say.

On a completely different note, I wonder what size Blonsky *is* in this movie. At times she looked *really* big, but I wonder how much of that is the fact that she's really short. I guess I got lucky in that I'm 5'10'' and big framed, so I carry my weight a lot better than short people.

[–] heart4Jesus 16 years ago

I think that the point with the food is that every person is different and how you react to food (big or not) is personal. I'm a big girl, but that doesn't mean that I'm never going to eat in public. I'm me, I'm who I am, and if you're going to make judgements about me based on what I'm eating, well screw you. That doesn't mean not to care about health and all that, but people seriously need to get over the whole phobia of fat people. We're just like everyone else, our bodies just work differently.

I think Nikki gained a bit of weight for Queen Sized, she wasn't that heavy in Hairspray, and the picture I saw of her that was taken last week was pretty normal looking. I guess we'll see when Harold comes out.

As for high school expiriences, I really think it depends on the school you go to, and also where you live. It also depends on your personality and all that. You're only put down if you let yourself be. But I think that Queen Sized was realistic in the way that big girls feel. My high school expirience was nothing like hers', but I was crying the whole way through the movie, and so was my sister(who is normal sized), because we knew how she felt. I think thats where the magic of this movie comes in.

Anyway, thats pretty much all I have to say. Love to you all.

Melissa

[–] Lamia7609 16 years ago

Very well stated. People assume all fat people have food stashed strategically around their house in case of a HO HO emergency. I've never kept food anywhere but in the kitchen. I've been fat my entire life and I used to make a point as a teenager not to eat in front of people, but they just assume you go home and devour a whole turkey so what's the point? Some people eat huge amounts and some people don't. People always say "He can eat a horse and never gain a pound" and that's a statement most people would agree is true for some people. If you said "She doesn't eat much at all, but still gains weight and is fat" and people cry that's BS there is no way. Everyone is different and metabolizes food differently.

"Do not call the tortoise unworthy because she is not something else" -Whitman

[–] brancy13 16 years ago

I'm fat (should be 110 but weight 160). I don't have any problem with the eating around people... what you wait... we starve ourselves to death with no lunch, breakfast or dinner (well, it is waited of us to do this in front of other people at least).

You know... I keep my weight at the same level, but I won't go crazy about killing myself with hungry. I do prefer to die well feed. Life is too short to spend it rushing for people approval. I do prefer to die at 40 with a well lived life than at 80 logging for that chocolate bar or icecram.

PS.: Sorry for the english.

[–] immortalbeloved0 16 years ago

Not really.
I was quite a chubby kid and I never thought about who or where I was eating. I just DID.

You seem to be nitpicking at something.

[–] meltedsno 16 years ago

I think your statement "most people who are overweight do most of their eating in private" is more ridiculous. You state that if you were that large, you'd stay as far away from the table of food as possible. Well, unless you can experience this first hand, you can't predict how you will react.

The thing is, she evidently experience alot of ridicule for her weight throughout her lifetime. It didn't help that she had a mother who constantly reminded her of her weight. You reach a breaking point where it doesn't matter anymore. It becomes a vicious circle. People judge you on your appearance and fail to see beyond the exterior. You try and try to let your personality show through, but being prejudged because of your appearance wears away at you. Maggie saw the way people were looking at her, talking behind her back, etc... so why even try anymore? They've already prejudged her so what the heck...give 'em what they expect... and that is seeing her at the food table at the party.

As for her mom...if she had helped Maggie focus on her positive qualities instead of constantly reminding her that she was fat, Maggie would have been able to focus on other issues. The fact that she chose to eat ice cream in front of her mother as she did was another "breaking point".

[–] Lamia7609 16 years ago

"The fact that she chose to eat ice cream in front of her mother as she did was another "breaking point". "

That's a really good point my father constantly made fun of me and picked at me about my weight. I made a point to eat in front of him and eat more than I really wanted to just to show him that he couldn't control what I ate. In the long run I only hurt myself, but when you feel powerless, power over food can keep you sane.

"Do not call the tortoise unworthy because she is not something else" -Whitman

[–] kim-284 16 years ago

The thing is, she evidently experience alot of ridicule for her weight throughout her lifetime. It didn't help that she had a mother who constantly reminded her of her weight. You reach a breaking point where it doesn't matter anymore. It becomes a vicious circle. People judge you on your appearance and fail to see beyond the exterior. You try and try to let your personality show through, but being prejudged because of your appearance wears away at you. Maggie saw the way people were looking at her, talking behind her back, etc... so why even try anymore? They've already prejudged her so what the heck...give 'em what they expect... and that is seeing her at the food table at the party.

I SO agree with this! I was teased unmercifully in school for being fat, and it killed my self esteem. My dad only loved me when I was skinny, and both my parents picked on me constantly about my weight.

Those of you who are skinny and making comments about how unrealistic this movie is have NO clue what you are talking about.

Walk a mile in my large size clothing before you make stupid, inane comments about how unrealistic something is, and show how ignorant you are with your preconceived notions of how fat people eat or deal with their emotional pain (often caused by judgemental jerks who think EVERYONE should be a size 0 like them or the supermodels they see in fashion magazines).

Get put down and teased to the point of tears, while the administration stands up for the skinny, blonde bitches and THEN tell me how "unrealistic" the movie was.

That movie had it right. I couldn't even watch it all, because it was a painful reminder of growing up.

Fat comments are off color. Say the same thing about another ethnicity & you would have a lawsuit.