Heavyweights
Encyclopedia
Heavyweights is a 1995 comedy-drama film
, directed by Steven Brill
and co-written by Brill with Judd Apatow
. Heavyweights is about a fat camp
for kids that is taken over by a fitness guru
named Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller
).
, Gerry (Aaron Schwartz
) is sent by his parents to Camp Hope, a weight loss
camp for boy
s. Despite worrying at first, Gerry makes friends easily at the Chipmunk Cabin (which the boys have named a long time ago) Gerald learns that Camp Hope is actually a lot of fun and will not be nearly as bad as he thinks; as one veteran of the camp put it, Gerald is "not the fat kid, everyone's the fat kid." He also discovers that the other campers have smuggled in enough junk food
to easily stave off the hunger pangs and probably counteract any weight loss that the camp programs cause.
But all is not well at Camp Hope. The first night of the summer brings the revelation that the original owners of Camp Hope, Harvey (Jerry Stiller
) and Alice Bushkin (Anne Meara
), have entered bankruptcy and the camp has been bought by fitness
entrepreneur
Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller
), who announces his plan to make the camp's new exercise regimen into the top weight loss
infomercial
in the country. Tony tries to make himself seem like someone the campers can relate to, saying that he was a fat kid when he was younger too, but his methods of motivating the campers border on psychotic
.
Tony cleanses the cabins of the campers' food caches, cuts off their contact with the outside world, and installs an exercise outline of trendy fitness techniques that downplay fun to the point of humiliation. During this event, Josh (Shaun Weiss
) taunts Tony in the protection of Gerry. Josh ends up getting kicked out of the camp without a refund. Many campers question what Josh's fate was after this event. However, because Josh did not receive a refund, Josh's father, who is a lawyer, threatened to have Tony sued. As a result, Tony had no choice but to allow Josh to return to the camp.
One day, when Tony goes out for a run, Gerry, Josh and a few other campers sneak into Tony's office to search for food. They find that Tony was holding onto all of the letters the campers sent to their parents that complained of their hardships. As they leave the office, Gerry and his friends come across a fellow camper eating a hamburger. The camper tells them of a secret food stash in the forest. The campers eventually gain more weight, despite Tony's fitness regimen. After Tony measures some of the campers' weight losses, he notices they actually gained more weight. As punishment, Tony forces them on a 20-mile hike, reasoning that this will not only help the boys work off some of their extra weight, but will also restore discipline. On the hike, the campers trick Tony into falling into a deep pit, severely injuring him. The boys bring Tony back to camp and imprison him in a makeshift cell of chicken wire
electrified with a bug zapper
.
In the celebration of Tony's downfall, there is a lot of binge eating
. The boys, and even some camp counselors who are also happy about Tony's downfall, order in pizzas and submarine sandwiches, gorge themselves on chocolate and drench themselves in soda. The next morning, Pat Finley (Tom McGowan
), a counselor who had come to Camp Hope every summer since he was 10, tells the kids to finally start taking responsibility and start actually losing weight. The boys begin following a more healthy regime and start to make Camp Hope a fun place again. On parents' visiting day, the parents are shown a video of Tony's cruelty. While they are watching, Tony escapes his prison and ends up exchanging quips with Gerry's father. In an attempt to make an impressive exit, Tony attempts a series of backflips, stumbles, and incapacitates himself. The parents tell Tony his days of terrorizing their kids are over. Tony's own father shows up to take the keys and deed for the camp away from his son to ensure this does not happen again. He states that the camp will be closed, and all of the money paid for admission refunded.
But the campers do not want to leave Camp Hope. Despite Perkis, the camp, and the friends they have made are still a lot of fun. Since there is no adult in charge of the camp now, Pat is voted to be the head counselor. Pat starts really putting the campers to work to win an annual competition against some rather athletic, and perhaps somewhat over-competitive campers who are trained to go at this competition with everything they have, which up until Pat took over made the competition rather one-sided. Pat, however, has been training them not to lose hope, and just to have fun, which they do. It turns out that they have just enough ability to win: to the distress of the counselors at the overly-competitive camp, who have already decided that the trophy belongs to them. With this already being planned by the Chipmunks, Pat gives the trophy to one of the kids, who then throws it into the lake. Which the over-competitive campers believe that Pat is crazy for being more concerned about having fun then winning a trophy. The movie ends with everyone laughing, and carrying on; Gerry then says to Pat, "thanks for the best damn summer of my life!" which Pat had mentioned to Gerry in the beginning of the movie.
After the credits, Tony is shown being a door to door salesman selling healing crystals.
, but is fresh with the community with a 75%.
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
, directed by Steven Brill
Steven Brill (scriptwriter)
Steven Brill is an American actor, film producer, director, and screenwriter. He directed and co-wrote Little Nicky and directed Mr. Deeds, Without A Paddle, Heavyweights and Drillbit Taylor. He has had cameo roles in all three Mighty Ducks movies, and appeared in The Wedding Singer, Mr...
and co-written by Brill with Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is well known for his work in comedy films, especially for films he has been involved with throughout the latter half of the 2000s. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the...
. Heavyweights is about a fat camp
Fat camp
A weight loss camp is a term for a type of program where overweight and obese people of all ages go to lose weight. However in common parlance the term "fat camp" is today also often used to refer to residential programs, usually in rural settings, where adults stay to eat nutritious foods,...
for kids that is taken over by a fitness guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
named Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
).
Plot
As school ends for the summerSummer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
, Gerry (Aaron Schwartz
Aaron Schwartz
Aaron Schwartz is an American actor, who is best known for the role of Dave Karp in the Disney film The Mighty Ducks and the lead role of Gerald Garner in Heavyweights. In addition to his two film roles, Aaron played Clem in three episodes of The Adventures of Pete & Pete, and appeared in one...
) is sent by his parents to Camp Hope, a weight loss
Weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue...
camp for boy
Boy
A boy is a young male human , as contrasted to its female counterpart, girl, or an adult male, a man.The term "boy" is primarily used to indicate biological sex distinctions, cultural gender role distinctions or both...
s. Despite worrying at first, Gerry makes friends easily at the Chipmunk Cabin (which the boys have named a long time ago) Gerald learns that Camp Hope is actually a lot of fun and will not be nearly as bad as he thinks; as one veteran of the camp put it, Gerald is "not the fat kid, everyone's the fat kid." He also discovers that the other campers have smuggled in enough junk food
Junk food
Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods that are perceived to have little or no nutritional value ; to products with nutritional value, but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten; or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all...
to easily stave off the hunger pangs and probably counteract any weight loss that the camp programs cause.
But all is not well at Camp Hope. The first night of the summer brings the revelation that the original owners of Camp Hope, Harvey (Jerry Stiller
Jerry Stiller
Gerald Isaac "Jerry" Stiller is an American comedian and actor.He spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife Anne Meara...
) and Alice Bushkin (Anne Meara
Anne Meara
Anne Meara is an American actress and comedian. She and Jerry Stiller were a prominent 1960s comedy team, appearing as Stiller and Meara, and are the parents of actor/comedian Ben and actress Amy Stiller.- Personal life :...
), have entered bankruptcy and the camp has been bought by fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
), who announces his plan to make the camp's new exercise regimen into the top weight loss
Weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue...
infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
in the country. Tony tries to make himself seem like someone the campers can relate to, saying that he was a fat kid when he was younger too, but his methods of motivating the campers border on psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
.
Tony cleanses the cabins of the campers' food caches, cuts off their contact with the outside world, and installs an exercise outline of trendy fitness techniques that downplay fun to the point of humiliation. During this event, Josh (Shaun Weiss
Shaun Weiss
Shaun Weiss is an American television and film actor. Weiss started his acting career as Elvis on Pee-wee's Playhouse. He is best known for his portrayal of Greg Goldberg in The Mighty Ducks films. Shaun also has a cult following for his role as Josh in the Disney film Heavyweights...
) taunts Tony in the protection of Gerry. Josh ends up getting kicked out of the camp without a refund. Many campers question what Josh's fate was after this event. However, because Josh did not receive a refund, Josh's father, who is a lawyer, threatened to have Tony sued. As a result, Tony had no choice but to allow Josh to return to the camp.
One day, when Tony goes out for a run, Gerry, Josh and a few other campers sneak into Tony's office to search for food. They find that Tony was holding onto all of the letters the campers sent to their parents that complained of their hardships. As they leave the office, Gerry and his friends come across a fellow camper eating a hamburger. The camper tells them of a secret food stash in the forest. The campers eventually gain more weight, despite Tony's fitness regimen. After Tony measures some of the campers' weight losses, he notices they actually gained more weight. As punishment, Tony forces them on a 20-mile hike, reasoning that this will not only help the boys work off some of their extra weight, but will also restore discipline. On the hike, the campers trick Tony into falling into a deep pit, severely injuring him. The boys bring Tony back to camp and imprison him in a makeshift cell of chicken wire
Chicken wire
Chicken wire, or poultry netting, is a mesh of wire commonly used to fence poultry livestock. It is made of thin, flexible galvanized wire, with hexagonal gaps...
electrified with a bug zapper
Bug zapper
A bug zapper, or more formally an electrical discharge insect control system is a device that attracts and kills flying insects that are attracted by light. A light source attracts insects to an electrical grid, where they are electrocuted by touching two wires with a high voltage between them...
.
In the celebration of Tony's downfall, there is a lot of binge eating
Binge eating
Binge eating is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable eating. It is sometimes as a symptom of binge eating disorder. During such binges, a person rapidly consumes an excessive amount of food...
. The boys, and even some camp counselors who are also happy about Tony's downfall, order in pizzas and submarine sandwiches, gorge themselves on chocolate and drench themselves in soda. The next morning, Pat Finley (Tom McGowan
Tom McGowan
Thomas "Tom" McGowan is an American actor, known for his recurring roles on Frasier, as KACL station manager Kenny Daly; Everybody Loves Raymond, as Ray's friend Bernie; and on The War at Home, as Dave Gold's friend Joe. McGowan also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm as a disgruntled fan of Larry's...
), a counselor who had come to Camp Hope every summer since he was 10, tells the kids to finally start taking responsibility and start actually losing weight. The boys begin following a more healthy regime and start to make Camp Hope a fun place again. On parents' visiting day, the parents are shown a video of Tony's cruelty. While they are watching, Tony escapes his prison and ends up exchanging quips with Gerry's father. In an attempt to make an impressive exit, Tony attempts a series of backflips, stumbles, and incapacitates himself. The parents tell Tony his days of terrorizing their kids are over. Tony's own father shows up to take the keys and deed for the camp away from his son to ensure this does not happen again. He states that the camp will be closed, and all of the money paid for admission refunded.
But the campers do not want to leave Camp Hope. Despite Perkis, the camp, and the friends they have made are still a lot of fun. Since there is no adult in charge of the camp now, Pat is voted to be the head counselor. Pat starts really putting the campers to work to win an annual competition against some rather athletic, and perhaps somewhat over-competitive campers who are trained to go at this competition with everything they have, which up until Pat took over made the competition rather one-sided. Pat, however, has been training them not to lose hope, and just to have fun, which they do. It turns out that they have just enough ability to win: to the distress of the counselors at the overly-competitive camp, who have already decided that the trophy belongs to them. With this already being planned by the Chipmunks, Pat gives the trophy to one of the kids, who then throws it into the lake. Which the over-competitive campers believe that Pat is crazy for being more concerned about having fun then winning a trophy. The movie ends with everyone laughing, and carrying on; Gerry then says to Pat, "thanks for the best damn summer of my life!" which Pat had mentioned to Gerry in the beginning of the movie.
After the credits, Tony is shown being a door to door salesman selling healing crystals.
Cast
- Ben StillerBen StillerBenjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
as Tony Perkis / Tony Perkis, Sr. - Aaron SchwartzAaron SchwartzAaron Schwartz is an American actor, who is best known for the role of Dave Karp in the Disney film The Mighty Ducks and the lead role of Gerald Garner in Heavyweights. In addition to his two film roles, Aaron played Clem in three episodes of The Adventures of Pete & Pete, and appeared in one...
as Gerald "Gerry" Garner - Tom McGowanTom McGowanThomas "Tom" McGowan is an American actor, known for his recurring roles on Frasier, as KACL station manager Kenny Daly; Everybody Loves Raymond, as Ray's friend Bernie; and on The War at Home, as Dave Gold's friend Joe. McGowan also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm as a disgruntled fan of Larry's...
as Pat Finley - Tim Blake NelsonTim Blake NelsonTim Blake Nelson is an American director, writer, singer, and actor.-Early life:Nelson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Ruth Kaiser Nelson, who is a noted social activist and philanthropist in Tulsa, and a geologist father...
as Roger Johnson - Jeffrey TamborJeffrey TamborJeffrey Michael Tambor is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as George Bluth Sr. and Oscar Bluth on Arrested Development and Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show.-Early life:...
as Maury Garner - Jerry StillerJerry StillerGerald Isaac "Jerry" Stiller is an American comedian and actor.He spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife Anne Meara...
as Harvey Bushkin - Anne MearaAnne MearaAnne Meara is an American actress and comedian. She and Jerry Stiller were a prominent 1960s comedy team, appearing as Stiller and Meara, and are the parents of actor/comedian Ben and actress Amy Stiller.- Personal life :...
as Alice Bushkin - Shaun WeissShaun WeissShaun Weiss is an American television and film actor. Weiss started his acting career as Elvis on Pee-wee's Playhouse. He is best known for his portrayal of Greg Goldberg in The Mighty Ducks films. Shaun also has a cult following for his role as Josh in the Disney film Heavyweights...
as Josh Birnbaum - Kenan ThompsonKenan ThompsonKenan Thompson is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work as a cast member of NBC's long-running sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live...
as Roy - Paul FeigPaul FeigPaul S. Feig is an American director, actor and author. Feig is known for playing Mr. Eugene Pool, Sabrina's science teacher, on the first season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch as well as Tim a camp counselor on the hit kids movie Heavyweights...
as Tim - Tom Hodges as Lars
- Allen CovertAllen CovertAllen Stephen Covert is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer best known for his frequent collaborations with actor Adam Sandler.-Personal life:...
as Kenny - Cody BurgerCody BurgerCody Michael Burger is an American former child actor whose noteworthy acting credentials include portraying Cousin Rocky Johnson in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation , an appearance on the hit television program Home Improvement , Mel Gibson's vehicle Forever Young , and most recently,...
as Cody - David Goldman as Nicholas
- Judd ApatowJudd ApatowJudd Apatow is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is well known for his work in comedy films, especially for films he has been involved with throughout the latter half of the 2000s. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the...
as Homer - Ryan Steglich as Himself
Reception
Heavyweights currently holds a 20% "rotten" rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, but is fresh with the community with a 75%.