Fatso

As the DiNapoli siblings grow, Dom learns that his mother comforts him with a piece of buttered Italian bread during a diaper change where infant Frank Jr. urinates on him. The ritual anchors food as a primary source of care and belonging. This early association will shape his later relationship with eating and family rituals around meals.

Salvatore regularly shares snacks with Dom, teaching him that food is a way to connect with others. Dom learns to associate eating with companionship and warmth. This bond with food extends to his later life with his cousin Sal and the family gatherings around snacks.

Sal dies at age 39, leaving the family to grieve the loss of a loved one who shared snacks with Dom. The tragedy magnifies the emotional toll of unhealthy eating and the family’s reliance on food for comfort. The event marks a turning point that prompts concerns about Dom’s health.

Antoinette urges Dom to visit a diet doctor to confront his obesity and the risks it poses to his health. He begins to recognize the signs that obesity is ruining his well-being and future. The push from his sister starts a chain of attempts to change his eating habits.

Dom meets a diet doctor and is confronted with a long list of foods he must avoid. The daunting menu leaves him feeling discouraged about his ability to stick to such restrictions. This moment deepens his sense of defeat and questions about his future health.

When the initial diet fails to curb his habits, Antoinette enrolls Dom in the 'Chubby Checkers' support group. The group session becomes a source of pressure and mixed messages, highlighting how difficult weight loss can be within a social setting. The intervention seems hopeful but quickly proves unstable.

Dom meets Lydia, a thin diabetic who owns an antiques shop, and discovers they have more in common than just food. Their initial connection suggests a potential romance beyond shared meals. This encounter plants a new possibility for emotional support outside his family.

Self-conscious about his body, Dom hesitates to ask Lydia on a date despite her clear interest. He worries about rejection and the judgment that might come from dating someone thinner. Lydia's warmth remains, but his insecurity keeps him from pursuing her openly.

Dom has Frankie padlock the fridge and larder to curb late-night snacking, but hunger still drives him in the middle of the night. He angrily demands the keys and even threatens violence to get them back. The struggle underlines how hard it is to control compulsive eating.

The Chubby Checkers intervention deteriorates as participants reminisce about desserts, turning the session into a full-blown pig-out. Rather than offering support, the event sabotages progress and deepens Dom's sense of failure. The group’s dynamic reveals how emotional eating is tied to social behavior.

Antoinette and Frankie orchestrate a budding connection between Dom and Lydia, bringing them together so they can date more seriously. The couple’s growing relationship provides new emotional support that complements their shared meals. This arrangement marks a turning point toward healthier habits through companionship.

Dom realizes he has been eating less and is stunned by how quickly his clothes become looser. The physical changes give him a glimmer of hope and a shift in self-perception. He starts to believe that change is possible with the right support.

Dom plans to propose to Lydia, but when he finds her apartment empty, he is consumed by anxiety and ends up eating all the Chinese takeout for a family party. The binge triggers a confrontation with his family and adds emotional weight to his decision about love and self-acceptance.

Antoinette confronts Dom with a doll-mounted stick, confronting the pain his feeding habits caused the family. He admits he looked for comfort in food and acknowledges his mother's role in shaping that behavior. He pledges to keep trying while his siblings promise to accept him as he is.

Lydia calls from a hospital in Boston where her younger brother is recovering; Dom flies there to be with her. They walk through the nursery, and he whispers his marriage proposal, which she accepts, sealing their life together. The montage then shows their growing family in the years to come.