Hey, Y’all! Ready for part 2 of my movie review? I’m here to break down Netflix’s latest movie Dumplin’, a show executively produced by Dolly Parton. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Danielle Macdonald, and Odeya Rush. It hinges on the banner that there is more to beauty than outward appearance, and that “everybody is a swimsuit body.” So, without further ado, let’s dive right into it! And a fair warning, spoilers ahead! You have been warned. So, I highly suggest you watch the movie first before reading any of this. I highly doubt you would regret it!
Viva Révolution!
“I’m not the Joan of Arc for fat people,” says Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dixon. But at the back of my mind, as I continued sinking my teeth in the already interesting movie, I was rooting for Will to be the Joan of Arc. I mean, she was the one who had the idea of breaking the mold of what it means to be a “pageant girl.” She was the first one to be seen in public signing up for the Miss Teen Bluebell pageant before she is joined by fellow misfits in the so-called “revolution.” As a matter of fact, it was never her intention to break the glass ceiling, but she did anyway. So it is but just that she should be recognized as the heroine.
Girl in the Movies
What solidified the notion is Will’s journey of self-discovery. At first, we see Will struggle with her image. She didn’t think she was pretty. She didn’t think she was fit to join the pageant (and would only do so because she wanted to commemorate her aunt Lucy.) Moreover, Will even picks a fight with her best friend, feeling betrayed because she fit in more than Will did. It was probably a thinly veiled mirror of jealousy that she was feeling. It was added the fact that her mother wasn’t all there to support her either.
What’s great about the movie is that the growth we see from Will is organic, in a way that her journey makes it more relatable to the other people who are watching. We see her struggle, and we see her get through her insecurities. In addition, we even get to see how her relationship with Bo blossom!
But as one of the parting words that Will has for us, her audience, a thought struck to me. She was right. She wasn’t the Joan of Arc of fat people. It was her aunt Lucy all along. She had wished that Lucy would have been there to see their progress and how through her spirit that everyone, even her mother, found their place in the world. The characters had well in fact rounded themselves based on the legacy that she had left them all behind.
Stay tuned for the next parts of my review!
Tags
Dolly Parton, Dumplin, Movie Review, Soundtrack