
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 18, 1995                   TAG: 9502230008
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: C-6   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

`HEAVYWEIGHTS' IS MORE OF THE SAME FROM DISNEY

"Heavyweights" is a lightweight little Disney comedy for the "Mighty Ducks" crowd. With a plot recycled from Bill Murray's "Meatballs" and a cast of enthusiastic youngsters, it seemed to entertain the target audience well enough at a matinee Friday.

Initially, Gerry (Aaron Schwartz) hates the idea of "fat camp." But when he meets Roy (Kenan Thompson) on the way, he changes his mind. According to Roy, Camp Hope is really fun. And considering Roy's ample girth and the size of the other kids Gerry meets on the bus, weight loss isn't the point.

Then they learn that the camp has been sold to Tony Pekis (Ben Stiller), a hard-charging motivator who combines the worst features of Richard Simmons, John Davidson and G. Gordon Liddy in one spandex-wrapped hard body. Pekis vows to slim the kids down and "turn this summer into the number one infomercial in the country!"

Stiller's maniacal performance is the most enjoyable part of the film. The rest is standard summer-camp silliness. Writer-director Steven Brill tells his story at a fairly brisk pace but without many big laughs in the first half. The North Carolina locations make for a pleasant setting.

As they've proved so often, the Disney people understand how this kind of formula picture works and they press all the right buttons here, but without any real inspiration.

Heavyweights **

A Disney release playing at the Salem Valley 8, Valley View Mall 6. 94 min. Rated PG for mild potty humor.

by CNB