Heavy (film)

Heavy (film)

Heavy is a 1995 independent American drama film written and directed by James Mangold, and starring Liv Tyler, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Shelley Winters, and Deborah Harry. The plot focuses on an overweight man in his mid-30s (Vince) whose life is forever changed after an enchanting college-aged girl (Tyler) attains a waitress job at a roadside diner where he is employed by his mother (Winters). The film explores themes of loneliness, false hope, unrequited love, and the problematic nature of self worth.

The film was Mangold's directorial debut, and featured an original soundtrack by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. Filming took place on location in and around Barryville, New York, Highland Lake, New York; and Hyde Park, New York; some scenes were filmed at the Culinary Institute of America.

Heavy premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was later screened at Cannes before receiving major theatrical releases. It was first released in the United Kingdom on December 29, 1995, and later in the United States on June 5, 1996. It has since had several home video releases, including two DVD releases which are both currently out of production.