In recent years, Wayfarer Studios and American High have proven that they are able to produce teen orientated films. For me, it was Five Feet Apart and Clouds from the former and Crush and Plan B from the latter; therefore, one would wager that the opening credits of Empire Waist did bring me some anticipation. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. The film is a great addition to what those two companies have in terms of films.
What Is ‘Empire Waist’ About?
The film starts with Lenore (Mia Kaplan), a teen girl who is very much an outsider at high school, and she is satisfied with that aspect of her life. She is bigger than most of her classmates which makes her a bully magnet such as Sylvie (Isabella Pisacane) who happens to be a bitchy girl. Rather than trying to fit in and find friends, Lenore opts to remain anti-social, never looking anyone in the eye, and focuses solely on designing dresses. Things at her place are not very simple either; she has a very supportive father (Rainn Wilson) who is quite ‘crazy,’ and a mother (Missi Pyle) who is a fitness fanatic and on a diet crazed regime expect certain things from lenore.
However Lenore’s life transforms when she gets teamed up with Kayla (Jemima Yevu) during a class assignment. Said Kayla has also quite a large frame, but herself has no issues if there’s anything about her that she feels is unattractive. Charismatic and self assured, Kayla eventually breaks Lenore out of her shy bubble and even pushes her to partake in a fashion design competition. They round up the school’s weirdos for a modeling gig including the queer and disabled Marcy (Daisy Washington), socially anxious and small Diamond (Kassandra Tellez) and trans tall girl, Tina (Holly McDowell). Even though they are from different ethnic backgrounds, they share one resonant problem: they cannot find a piece of clothing that seems appropriate for them. Everything changes as Lenore creates the clothes and makes her newfound friends feel strong and beautiful; they also help her gain confidence and self-esteem along the way.
Empire Waist is more than just a movie for me, and it is one of the most shaming experiences. All my life, I have been a chubby person who has had to deal with and overcome body image issues. Imagine the ire I felt whilst watching the scene in which Lenore is weighed during her physical examination. It was worse than some horror movies — it is a particular nightmare that a fair number of people unfortunately understand on a visceral level. The grief of hearing a nutritionist inform Lenore that the recommended serving is one piece of pizza stung just as much. These hurtful discussions with medical professionals should have been beneficial, instead, have adverse effects mentally, especially on young impressionable girls. Kaplan digs in and plays quite unrestrainedly into these vulnerable insecurities with energy and commitment to the material. She will touch your heart as she does a thousand times as she describes periods in her life where she was feeling awful and did not deserve any sort of luxury.
Empire Waist expands within the context of Lenore’s troubled relationship with her mother. There is a temptation to present her mother as a heartless antagonist but that would have been an easy way out. This situational dimension of the character is proficiently accompanied by Pyle’s unobserved performance. Thus, as one would expect, it is impossible to escape the love of Lenore’s mother. Yet nevertheless she still harms her daughter, trying to protect her from the outside world and encouraging her to metamorphose rather than accept herself as she is. This in fact leads to the realization that Lenore’s mother often berates herself, a trait passed down by her mother. Such unhealthy ideation may explain why this strand of negativity prevails through generations.
There appears to be much less depth when it comes to Sylvie, and that’s unfortunate. The stereotypical bully fit for a teen film opens as a cliché mean girl, with a weak attempt being made at understanding what makes her a bully. However, while lots of the work is clever and funny, a lot of Sylvie’s words come across as poorly scripted which makes her not able to impress even as an antagonist. Unlike the present situation, there is the possibility of having fun even with such roles but Empire Waist is constantly dependent on its clichés.
The issue of the lack of focus with regards to the target audience is something that Empire Waist shares with Prom Dates, another American High production. It would be appropriate to use most of the dialogue and the plot points of the film on Disney Channel. Then there are edgier moments, which include Kayla entering a room with a boy, and a picture of her in revealing clothes, which are suited to older audiences. The film does not know who its audience is.
This TV show possesses an appealing quality significantly regardless of the age at which one watches it. The plot isn’t band new, but it is often funny, and the delivery by the actors is enjoyable. The chemistry is nonetheless quite good throughout the cast, who are energetic and bring credibility to their characters, although Yevu seems to have the most charisma in her first of many roles. McDowell, although not frequently seen on screen, appears to be another comic partner, making her outrageous lines (“You’re going to shoot Lenore for a cardigan?!” she shouts one scene. “I once got hit in the face with a signal flare,” she admits at another.) incredibly funny, not missing a beat. She would certainly fit the tone of a Bottoms-type movie perfectly. The characters are wonderfully unique so much so that they can all come anywhere and still have their individuality without being pigeonholed into one trait. The bond of their friendship with each other is a sight to behold indeed.
Indeed, the platonic relationship comes out as the most important and central element of Empire Waist, but the romance which plays out in the background is also quite charming. It’s impossible to not root for Charlie (Aric Floyd) who is photograph-shooting LARP enthusiast and also the supportive boyfriend of Lenore, I mean who would not want such an adorable supporting character? Also, Mrs. Hall (Jolene Purdy) is definitely worth a shout out, the teacher who is simply the best source of encouragement. It was a smart decision made by Ayoub to cast a plus size woman for this character, it makes the relationship dynamic even more impactful. Purdy, too, hardly wastes any time. (I mean, Patricia’s “I was gonna yell at you about that Wikipedia-ass presentation” episode was comedy).
Empire Waist contains a strong emotional message, beautifully representing female friendships. Although it does not avoid cliches and some expected events in some parts, the way it addresses the topics of body image is truly one of a kind and incredibly fitting. It is an essential film for the younger audience who sees Lenore currently and a therapeutic one for the older ones who have moved on life phases but still remember the traumatic experience of the doctor’s office scale.
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