Institute History
Description
Neil Perota is a 315-pound young man, still living at home in Brooklyn. When he suffers a heart attack, it is a wake-up call that things have to change, but he can't stop eating. An altercation at his sister's wedding throws him into a tailspin that sends him out of the city to the remote woods, where he begins a new life, taking up residence in a dilapidated trailer. Here he begins the fight to shed his emotional and physical weight.
Carmine Famiglietti is not your typical matinee idol, yet he still has the power to break hearts. He and director Matthew Bonifacio have written a moving portrait of a man's struggle with one of the most misunderstood addictions—overeating. Bonifacio takes this unique story and gives it a cinematic voice that is fresh, honest, and entertaining. Neil, as well as his Italian friends and family, is vibrantly portrayed, especially his buddy who is fighting a chemical addiction of his own. Bonifacio adeptly handles Neil's transformation and the heaviness of his situation with an enviably light touch. However, Famiglietti deserves special praise for the sacrifice and commitment it took for him to portray Neil.