Lying to Be Perfect

Sisterhood, self-confidence and, sadly, skinniness prove the key to female fulfilment in this far-fetched, book-based fantasy, in which overweight editor Poppy Montgomery and her two best friends strive to "become the women we know we are inside". Forming a so-called "Cinderella pact." (the original novel's title), they vow to help each other lose weight, using advice columns secretly written by Montgomery as their bible. Initially, events are playful yet thought-provoking, with veteran TV director Gary Harvey combining a light touch and clichés to examine the media and society's treatment of those deemed imperfect. But an abrupt tonal shift and seriously conflicting messages suck the fun out of the second half, making the simplistic, fairy-tale-style climax come across as patronising and hollow.