Empire Waist – A Disjointed Feel-Good Film

High school is an experience that has affected countless audiences in countless different ways. A crucial period shaping our development going forward, there are a lot of pressures one faces over that time. There are the doubts about the future, the pressure of extracurricular activities, and maintaining a social life. In Empire Waist, the feature writing and directorial debut of Claire Ayoub, we meet Lenore (Kaplan), a talented young designer who stays invisible to avoid the stares of people and jokes about her weight. When she is left alone in a biology assignment, her teacher, Ms. Hall (Jolene Purdy), pairs her with Kayla (Yevu), a former ballet dancer who has given up due to constant judgment about her body. Soon, the two develop a strong friendship as Kayla incentivizes Lenore to apply for a fashion institute showcase that could boost her ambitions of being a professional designer.

Empire Waist uses the basic premise of a high school dramedy to discuss the issues younger generations face. In an approach in line with most of the films of this genre, it features diverse episodes that the characters face, presenting them opportunities for growth. However, the film suffers from a confused direction that harms the crescendo of the comedy and dramatic scenes. The editing cuts perspectives sooner than it should, diminishing the impact of the narrative settings. The film also does not benefit from its cinematography, which refuses to avoid the formulaic and standard television appearances printed on the film.

That being said, the film does have its share of genuine moments that are engaging to watch. The chemistry between Kaplan and Yevu delivers a tangible friendship on the screen. Their charisma is responsible for most of the funny moments of the film. However, the film does not give its supporting characters enough substance. Besides representing important underseen groups, the characters have few moments to shine as they merely fall into repetitive tropes where many of their actions feel one-note. Meanwhile, there are tone shifts that only work to downplay the ambiance of the character’s actions and fail to supply the necessary emotion.

Despite not benefit from its riveting moments, the message of self-love and the importance of representation make it different from other films about teens. It’s a breath of fresh air in terms of the genre. Once, intolerance is intrinsically attached to the motivation of the characters. Lenore only accepts to design for other people because the usual markets do not offer them clothes that fit adequately. It adds a nice touch to the script, adding more layers to an empty film in most moments. Cinematically, it struggles to find its voice within its own format. The transitions are abrupt, and the editing is inconsistent. The use of songs to improve emotion feel out of place. And the directing constantly dwells its construction of drama.

At the end of the day, Empire Waist is a feel-good film that brings some good ideas to the table but its disjointed directing and editing that does not do its charismatic cast any favors. In spite of its issues, it is still worth it to see a compelling representation of underseen groups on screen.

still courtesy of Blue Fox Entertainment

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Pedro Lima

Brazilian film writer. He is also a producer and executive producer for Zariah Filmes. Member of the International Film Society Critics Association (IFSCA), International Documentary Association (IDA), and Gotham and Media Film Institute.