Fat Slags is a 2004 British independent gross out comedy film based on the Viz comic characters of the same name.[2] Despite the relative popularity of the comic strip (and its celebrity cameos), the film was panned by critics.
| Fat Slags | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ed Bye |
| Written by | William Osborne |
| Produced by | Charles Finch Luc Roeg |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John Sorapure |
| Edited by | Mark Wybourn |
| Music by | David A. Hughes |
Production companies | Artists Independent Pictures Funny Films |
| Distributed by | Entertainment Film Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 73 minutes[1] |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $105,091 |
Plot
editThis section's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (January 2023) |
Sandra (Fiona Allen) and Tracey (Sophie Thompson) are two friends who are known as the infamously vulgar and crass Fat Slags. The pair leave their hometown of Fulchester for London, aiming to sleep and drink their way to fame and fortune.
On the day they arrive in London, internationally renowned billionaire Sean Cooley (Jerry O'Connell) suffers a blow to the head that renders him temporarily insane. When he catches Sandra and Tracey on a daytime chat show, he falls for their larger-than-life antics. A media sensation is brought about when Cooley forces fashion designer Fidor Konstantin (James Dreyfus) to base his upcoming collection on the Fat Slags.
Sandra and Tracey take the United Kingdom by storm, hitting #1 in the charts and inadvertently winning the Turner Prize. As far as the press is concerned when fatness becomes a hit. This new trend leads to Cooley's assistant, Paige, gaining major weight. Throughout their journey into the world of fame, the Slags maintain their vulgarity, which coupled with an endearing innocence connects with the British public.
But in private, jealousy drives a wedge between Sandra and Tracey as they vie for Cooley's attention. Only when he regains his mental faculties and turns on the girls that they realize that their friendship is the only real thing they have in their new world.
Cast
edit- Fiona Allen as Sandra "San" Burke
- Sophie Thompson as Tracey "Tray" Tunstall
- Jerry O'Connell as Sean Cooley
- Anthony Head as Victor Lange
- Geri Halliwell as Paige
- James Dreyfus as Fidor Ulrich Cosimo Konstantin
- Naomi Campbell as sales assistant
- Angus Deayton as Maurice the hotel receptionist
- Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt as immigration officers
- Les Dennis as MC
- Simon Farnaby as a ventriloquist
- Tom Goodman-Hill as Barry "Baz" Askwith
- Henry Miller as Dave
- Michael Greco as Niarchos
- Eamonn Holmes as himself
- David Schneider as Tanner
- Metin and Timur Ahmet as two waiters
- Helen Lederer as a hysterical woman
- Ralf Little as a milkman
- Ricky Gervais as bouncer
- John Thomson as the foreman
- Dolph Lundgren as Randy[3]
- Alison King as a receptionist
- Shend as a kebab van proprietor
Production
editIn August 2003, it was announced a feature film adaptation of Fat Slags was slated to begin shooting scheduled 10 August.[4] Fat Slags was part of a wave of sex comedies slated for production in the U.K. alongside other entries such as Sex Lives of the Potato Men, School for Seduction, and an attempted Carry On revival Carry On London, with the production of the latter soon cancelled.[4]
Reception
editCritical response
editFat Slags was universally panned upon release.[5] John Plunkett, writing for The Guardian, stated "It has plenty of gross-out stuff, but chucked in with an eerie lack of enjoyment or conviction. Depression seeps out of the screen like carbon monoxide."[6] Adrian Hennigan for the BBC wrote "This painfully slapdash comedy – with caricatures instead of characters – lurches from one crude, staggeringly inept set-piece to another with the subtlety of a three-legged elephant."[7] Graham Dury, the comic strip's creator, stated that Rita, Sue and Bob Too was a more accurate live action depiction of the comic book characters,[8] telling the BBC that he was so appalled by the film, he threatened to stop drawing the strips.[5] British film historian I.Q. Hunter listed Fat Slags as one of the contenders for worst British film ever made.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Fat Slags". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Goodbye, Fat Slags". Metro. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Ivan-Zadeh, Larushka (16 August 2010). "The Expendables' Dolph Lundgren on his big-screen comeback". Metro. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012.
- ^ a b Dawtrey, Adam (3 August 2003). "'Fat Slags' gets Green light; Aardman toons up". Variety. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Viz to drop Fat Slags in protest". BBC News. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Plunkett, John (19 October 2004). "Viz gives Fat Slags the elbow". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Hennigan, Adrian (8 October 2004). "Fat Slags". BBC. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Judd, Terri. "Lordy! 'Crass' movie means it's the end of the Fat Slags". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Hunter, I.Q.; Porter, Laraine, eds. (5 April 2012). "From Window Cleaner to Potato Man". British Comedy Cinema. Routledge. p. 154. ISBN 978-0415666671.