- Release year: 2024
- Director: Kristina Dufková.
- Producers: Matej Chlupacek, Marc Faye, and Agata Novinski.
- Screenplay by: Petr Jarchovský, Barbora Dřevikovská, and Anna Vášová.
- Cinematography by: Václav Fronk.
- Music by: Michal Novinski.
Synopsis: a teenage boy learns about shame and eating disorders.
Shotgun Commentary: powerful narrative under layers of light-hearted animation.
Review
Living Large is an exploration of eating disorders during adolescence. This would have been a very controversial film had it not been animation. The fact is animation can get away with pretty much anything. Shows like Rick & Morty (2013–) or Big Mouth (2017–2025) are only the latest in a long line of animated products that push boundaries that remain inaccessible to live-action cinema. Curious? This film will be screened at the Dunoon Film Festival; more info on that after the review!
A classic tale
Ben (Hugo Kovács) is a chubby kid whose life gets turned around when he meets his first love and gets his first warning about his weight all in the same day. He has never been bothered by his weight before, and he loves food, so he shrugs it off at first. However, as more and more people comment and criticise his body, he begins to feel self-conscious and eventually decides to loose some weight. Partly to feel good about himself, but mostly to get the girl he likes to notice him.
Adolescence is a tricky era for everyone; you are suddenly expected to act like an adult for some things, but you keep being treated like a child for others. This creates a sense of confusion that adds on to an already confounding moment in life brought on by great hormonal imbalances. Questions like who are you and who will you be begin to form alongside society’s expectations and the development of those around you.
So many voices…
Ben’s journey brings all this uncertainty to the screen quite seamlessly as it makes the most of every single social relationship Ben has in order to present yet another different perspective on the matter. Unfulfilled love; doubt; friends that can’t quite understand your journey because it suddenly diverges from theirs; parents with the best of intentions that still mess up because, as you will find out during this age, they are actually human; professors who maybe should have picked another profession… Every single conversation and interaction brings something to the table and makes Ben’s tale all the more real.
Sadly in Ben’s case, there is also the matter of self-image. Everyone finds something to hate about themselves when they are teens. That is just how life goes, and you need to push through it to come out stronger on the other side. The tricky bit is to not let those teen insecurities follow you around your whole life. The figure of Ben’s dad is the perfect example of that. A man who went through exactly the same thing Ben did and who, by telling him about his experience, gives Ben the assurance that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel.
Style and thoughts
The animation itself is also key to this story, not merely because one can be more straightforward with difficult topics, but also because it combines different techniques to make the story even more hypnotising than the script alone promises. Stop-motion is a fantastic way to create a whimsical environment that can turn dark at any given moment. This style is paired with 2D animation to distinguish Ben’s reality from his thoughts and dreams. The combination allows the artist to go crazy with the surreal notes while keeping the budget tight and offering a refreshing experience for audiences.
All in all, Living Large is a really interesting experience that manages to make what will surely be a painful memory for many spectators a manageable and even cathartic experience.
You can now enjoy this fantastic piece at Dunoon Film Festival, running from the 8th of May to the 10th. Living Large will be screened on Sunday the 10th at 16:00 at Studio Cinema Dunoon.
MORE INFO ON THE SCREENING AND TICKETS HERE!
The Dunoon Film Festival screening is the last screening of the Living Large tour: https://www.dca.org.uk/living-large/
Advice to take from this movie:
- High school is a phase, sometimes a horrible one, but life does go on after it.
- If you want to talk about something controversial or complicated, always use animation.
- Don’t let anyone but yourself determine how you should look.
What’s your take? Have you watched Living Large? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀