Sometimes hitting the multiplex just isn’t in the cards. That’s when cable, the web and streaming step in to provide an instant movie fix. But how to separate the wheat from the chaff? I’m happy to help; I’ll pick flicks and see if they’re worth your time. This time it’s the documentary “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead”.  Let’s go!

The Story: Lardass goes from flab to fit.  Sounds like a Weight Watchers commercial, no?  We all know that here in the US we tend to blow past the perishables in the supermarket and head straight to the Pringles and Ding-Dongs.  That’s all well and good, unless you’re a human being that has a body that could shut down after years of craptastic food choices.  Oh wait.  Oops.  Luckily, Aussie filmmaker Joe Cross decides to head to the US of A to start a juice fast.  One would think the guy’d opt for a desert island (how else could you possibly pass up chocolate?)  But instead, he takes his obsession with crap food head-on, and records it all.  Gotta say the dude is looking very fit by the end of it all.  Along the way he helps a few others out, and they in turn tell two friends…who tell two friends…and so on….

The Good: My biggest worry was that this would be a movie length ad for juicers. (Check out the Web site and you’ll see why I freaked at first.)  But it’s a push for folks to take charge of their own health, with a whole food/plant based diet emphasizing fruits, veg & nuts. The docs interviewed in the film put things in easy to understand bits. There’s no talking down, no preaching.  Plus, yay cartoons!  Animated scenes that illustrate how the body works & how the guys featured here were, and now are, living, are fun and cute without being too cutesy.  Cross also breaks down how much it costs to juice “Reboot”, a good thing to know, and a nice bit of honesty.  Another bit of honesty I found refreshing was the taste-testing of the juices.  Lots of folks liked these juices, but a few didn’t like ’em at all.  This film shows a multitude of reactions, which makes the movie go down smooth.  And it’s good to see that at the end of the film, Cross brings it back to making a change in how you live your life.

The Bad: I would have liked to have seen a little more interplay with the folks on the juice fast and their doctors, but I know that after a while documentaries that deal with trying to save the planet/your bod/the whales can get a bit preachy if they go on too long.  Are there bits here that feel a little preachy?  Of course.  You wouldn’t push your agenda if you had a camera in your face?  Luckily these bits are few, and the movie in general focuses on the people, letting people watching draw their own conclusions.

The Everything Else: I found myself really rooting for these folks, hoping they’d be healthier and happier.  And — spoiler alert! — now they are.  If these fellas can get up off it, there’s absolutely no reason why I can’t.  Seriously.  Cross changes “… From someone who knew, to someone who’d do”  – great way of looking at it. And something we should all strive for. I don’t know if I’m up for juicing, but maybe I’ll start switching my weekday veggie meals from heavy on the carbs (mac and cheese! potatoes!) to heavy on the actual veg.  Now if you’ll excuse me I have some mindless tv to watch.  All this healthy has me needing a Real Housewives fix.  Moderation in all things, y’all.

Here’s the breakdown:

Would I watch it again?: Already planning on having my fam sit down and watch it.  Though I have a feeling with this subject matter, there’ll be no munchies.  Okay, maybe popcorn.

Should you see it?: With it’s positive message, and the poster-boys real honest-to-goodness success stories?  Yes.  But only if you’re ready to check with your doctor and get this party started.  This movie will make you want to change things.

Netflix Average Rating: 4 1/2 stars

My Rating: 5 stars