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Disney’s ‘Heavyweights’ Remains A Hilarious Hidden Gem
I’d wager I’ve seen Disney’s Heavyweights a thousand times, and the scary thing is, I’m probably not exaggerating. While I didn’t originally see the film in theaters back in 1995, I did wear out the VHS tape with my brother, and we’d make each other laugh (endlessly) by reciting ridiculous quotes from the script during camping trips and lazy afternoons spent swimming in our backyard pool. What’s cool is that I recently introduced the movie to my daughter, who now frequently requests to watch it on Disney+. How could I say no? Plus, there’s just something incredibly special about my 5-year-old screaming “YOU’VE BROKEN MY CAMERA!” while we’re taking selfies at the park. So proud of her, that kid.
For those who haven’t seen it, Heavyweights tells the very ’90s story of a group of portly adolescents who attend a fun sleepaway camp every summer, only this year, it’s been taken over by a maniacal health guru who’s hellbent on forcing the attendees to shed the excess pounds, all in service of a scripted infomercial he’s filming. Ben Stiller plays the new insane camp owner, Tony Perkis Jr, and holy cow, is he funny. I’d go so far as to say it’s Stiller’s best role; the manic, unhinged energy he brings to the character is simply unmatched. It’s like if the late Richard Simmons had finally snapped.
I bring all this up today, because earlier this morning, Stiller posted on X about the movie’s 30-year anniversary, which technically was yesterday, on February 17.
Stiller brings up a good point that I’ve thought about a lot, which is how it feels as if Disney pretends this film doesn’t exist. I’m honestly surprised you can even stream it on Disney+, because while it’s an absolute classic, Heavyweights remains wildly insensitive, especially by today’s standards.
Source: http://www.forbes.com
