Bridesmaids (spoilers)

I finally got around to seeing Bridesmaids last night. I had the opportunity to see it before but chose Pirates of the Caribbean instead (in 3D I might add!), but I finally gave in because a friend wanted to see it. I had read previous reviews that touched on the way the fat character, Megan, played by the beautiful Melissa McCarthy, was portrayed. I didn't see many (okay.. any) positive reviews in that regard. I have to say, it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, which isn't saying a lot. The other characters didn't make fat jokes or call her names (not even behind her back!), and she was portrayed as a strong and confident woman who was secure in who she was. That's about where the positives ended though. Firstly, while I usually punch the air when I see gender norms broken, in this case Megan's obvious masculinity seemed to allude to the fact that fat women cannot be feminine or sexy. She was sexual, but it, of course, involved food with her eating a giant sandwich off of the chest of her lover. This may have been less of an issue if every single other female character in the wedding party weren't all hyper feminine and very well dressed and put together. A friend also pointed out that she never appears to wear makeup of any kind while the other women certainly do. The desexualization of Megan as a fat woman is highlighted in the above movie poster where she is the only bridesmaid without a sleeveless dress or a skirt above the knee.
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And just because the characters weren't making fat jokes doesn't mean there weren't plenty around. When the wedding party (pre wedding) goes out to eat together, Megan runs ahead of all of them to get into the restaurant. At the bridesmaids dress shopping she lifts the sitting couch and then flops over onto it, awkwardly and obviously in  a sort of beached whale style.

The other fat characters, Annie's roommates (Annie is our Maid of Honor and main character),  Gil, played by Matt Lucas and sister Brynn played by Rebel Wilson are secondary characters so less seen, but when shown are portrayed as weird, bumbling, and unintelligent. The first time we meet Brynn she's gotten a free tattoo out of a van. When she shows Annie it's obviously infected and gross. Annie tells her to put a bag of frozen peas on it or something so Brynn goes to the freezer, gets a bag of peas, opens it, and pours them down her back. All I could do in the theater was facepalm.

I'd also like to point out the difference between the actual body type of Melissa McCarthy and the movie poster, in which Melissa has been visibly thinned in her waist, hips, face, and arms.