Sharon Maymon & Eriz Tadmor's 'A Matter Of Size' is one of those "feel good about yourself" kind of films that sends audiences smiling as they exit the cinema,while giving them something to think about. In this case,it's about body size. Herzl,an morbidly obese Isreali man,is fired from his job working in a restaurant,due to his size,which is making diners uncomfortable. He,and his cadre of equally overweight friends,Aharon,Gidi & Sami,are constantly berated at the weight loss clinic by the coach in charge. When Herzl takes a job at a Japanese restaurant,he sees a Sumo wrestling match on the television in the bar, and decides to form a Sumo club,with his friends. Also figuring into all of this is a romantic interest in the form of Zehava,a pretty,overweight woman who likes Herzl,but doesn't trust men,as she figures all of them as potential liars. Herzl's mother doesn't make matters any better,as she constantly makes weight remarks about her son to his face. Also add to all of this Herzl's boss at the restaurant,Kitano,who fled from Japan (allegedly from the Yakuza)to operate the Sushi restaurant,and becomes the Sumo coach for the team,as well as other sub plot elements to make things interesting. Will Herzl & his team get into shape to become the Sumo club of his dreams,and finally get the respect that he wants (and finds the girl of his dreams)? The cast (mostly known from their work in Isreali television & films)includes Itzik Cohen,as Herzl,Dvir Benedek,as Aharon,Alon Dahon as Gidi,Shmulik Cohen as Sami,Irit Kaplan as Zehava,and Togo Igawa as Kitano,with Yuki Iwamoto,Shawl Azar & Oshri Sahir. Sharon Maymon & Eriz Tadmor co-direct from a screenplay written by Maymon & Danny Cohen-Salal. Your best bet is to try & catch the original Isreali version,as an American re-make is due for release sometime next year (and you all know just how bad American remakes of foreign films can be--and,for the most part,are). Spoken in Hebrew & Japanese with English subtitles. Not rated by the MPAA,this film contains outbursts of strong language,some adult content,including some rather lurid on-line photographs of a gay dating website,down loaded by one of the plus sized men that is just about to come out of the closet.
Review of A Matter of Size
