Shit I Watched On Netflix, Ep. 4

Dumplin'

What is this shit?

Willowdean Dixon (Danielle Macdonald) is a plus-size Texas high school kid who loves Dolly Parton. Inspired by her late Aunt Lucy, Willowdean enters a beauty pageant run by her mom, Rosie (Jennifer Anniston), even though she doesn't fit the accepted image of pageant queens. Along with her friends Millie (Maddie Baillio) and Hanah (Bex Taylor-Klaus), Willowdean sets out to ruin her mom's pageant. She also works through issues her best friend, Ellen (Odeya Rush) and with the hunky guy she works with. And in the end, she learns something about herself.

What's This Shit About?

Dumplin' is a coming of age tale with themes of friendship and forgiveness. But the main thing this movie's about is taking those first steps away from defining yourself by what you're given by your parental figures and toward defining who you are yourself. Willowdean completely defines herself according to what her aunt taught her. Through the process of the story, she learns to believe in herself and discovers that while she isn't a skinny pageant queen, she's still got so many good qualities to offer.

The Good Shit!

The acting from everyone is pretty strong. Macdonald is terrific, believable, and holds the movie together emotionally. Anniston is also fantastic as a distracted mom whose priorities may be out of whack. The actors make the feels of this movie hit home, and the feels are the best reason to watch this flick.

The Bad Shit!

 The writing. Not that it's horrible, but it is very inconsistent. My biggest beefs have to do with plot strands that aren't effectively handled. For example, Ellen is introduced as a major character but then she disappears from much of the second act so Willowdean can go have adventures with her new friends. The film never really justifies why Ellen doesn't come along, the fight that separates them seems like something that shouldn't take weeks to heal. Then again, I've never been a teenage girl so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. Anyway, there are several writing flaws like that one throughout the movie, and it pops you out of the story.

Wrap This Shit Up!

I don't like using the word "cute" when I talk and about movies, and if I do use it, it's usually an indication low-quality cinema. Like, it looks good and is appealing, but it doesn't offer much substance. But I'm not dogging on Dumplin' when I call it cute. It's clever, funny, and made dressing up as Dolly Parton and lip-syncing to Jolene look like a helluva lot of fun. I have some issues with the writing and the way the flick leans on the "hot person wants to hook up with the not-so-hot" cliche. But it's got some valuable things to say and it'll leave you feeling good.