Offensive...Actually

Rating: 3/10 (13 June 2004)

I could go on about all the things I disliked about this movie, but other extremely eloquent reviewers have done that for me. However, there is one aspect of this film that has not been commented on that I wish to: Richard Curtis' alarming
obsession with weight. I work with young women, helping them to build healthy self-images, and not to buy into the unrealistic ideals that the media portray. So along comes Mr. Curtis and writes a script that continually reinforces those
negative images. The Martine McCutcheon character, who is a lovely, sexy,
healthy looking woman is referred to several times as fat. The Emma Thompson character, looking like an average, well-cared for middle-aged woman, painfully opines about the size of her bottom. I find this kind of psychological abuse intolerable and offensive, and certainly does not demonstrate any love toward women.