Dumplin’ (2018)

To be honest, I’d never even heard of this film, until we discovered it on Netflix, last night.

In some ways, I was constantly reminded of “Muriel’s Wedding”: the reason? Because Dolly Partin’s songs were the background soundtrack to the whole “Dumplin'” show, just like ABBA’s songs were used in the Toni Collette film. It’s a formula for success, for sure.

The young lady who plays Will is a natural star. Her coming-of-age story is awkward, especially as she is size conscious, because her mother was (and is) a beauty queen, played by Jennifer Aniston. It’s tough being compared to your mother, when you know she’s a beloved fixture of your town. But it doesn’t help when she calls you by your childhood nickname in public. Hence the title of the film.

Give this one a chance, you’ll have tears in your eyes by the end.