Sometimes when things are getting too weird, you crave a vacation. But you don’t want people to think you’re taking off on a vacation since they’ll insist that now is not a good time for you to play tourist. So you cover your tracks by claiming to have to leave on a business trip or a perhaps job interview. You want to sound like you’re going to be productive and career oriented. Others will feel a bit of pity for you having to miss out on all the fun the location has to offer because you’ll be too busy with work crap. Now you can feel less guilty as you head out for the week of leisure and escape. Fat Legs is about such journey.
Anna (Agnès Boury) is an actress in London who constantly auditions for roles but never lands anything. Things at her apartment are looking bleak. Her folks want her to give up her floundering acting career and get a real job. She decides to split for Paris to see her old friend Jean (Ferrari‘s Jonathan Burteaux). This film was made in the mid-teens before Brexit so Anna could easily hop a train from London to Paris without needing anything, but a train ticket. Jean was also an actor, but has gotten a real job. He’s the one who nicknamed her “Fat Legs” during their art school days. He also has a real French boyfriend in Phillipe (Perfect Murders‘ Julien Bravo). Things get off weird since Jean is out when Anna knocks on the door. Phillipe doesn’t speak much English, but what he does know is enough to be extra French to Anna. While this seems to be a set up for a Three’s Company situation, Phillipe still has his own place so Anna can sleep in Jean’s bed. Tensions however build since Phillipe’s mom is in the hospital and there seems to be no end date for Anna’s visit. Their romance is being disrupted by her visit that has no departure date. Why would anyone want to leave Paris if they aren’t paying for a hotel room? Anna does find an audition and is willing to go beyond a screentest to impress the producer. But will it be enough?
Fat Legs appears to be a fun jaunt to Paris in many ways. However there is a heaviness to Anna’s trip as she feels her dream of being able to support herself acting on stage, movies and commercials is crumbling. She is going through a lot. She’s also putting plenty of unexpected weight on her friend and host. Will any of them survive this unexpected holiday? The film is a drama about friendship with comedy spiced throughout. Fat Legs reminds us that when you visit a friend, let them know when you have to head home.
The movie is 2.35:1 anamorphic. You’ll see plenty of Paris in the widescreen. The Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 in English. Things sound good for the visit. The movie doesn’t have a subtitle option, but the French dialogue has English subtitles on the screen.
No bonus features.
Dreamscape Media presents Fat Legs. Directed by Sophie Mathisen. Screenplay by Sophie Mathisen. Starring Agnès Boury, Julien Bravo, Jonathan Burteaux, Nicole da Silvam & Pham Viet Dung. Running Time: 98 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: September 16, 2025.
