A bullied overweight teenager sees a glimpse of hope when her tormentors are brutally abducted by a mesmerizing stranger.

Tracy Turnblad, en stor jente med et stort hår, og et enda større hjerte. Hennes store lidenskap er dansing, og drømmen er å opptre på "The Corny Collins Show", byens hippeste danseprogram på tv. Og Tracy er tilsynelatende en passende deltager, bortsett fra en liten deltalje. Hun passer ikke. Hennes store figur har alltid avskjermet henne fra de kuleste motene, noe hun til stadighet påminnes om av sin elskelige - men også overbeskyttende mor Edna. Men dette stopper ikke Tracy. For er det en ting denne jenta vet, så er det at hun ble født på dansegulvet, hun var rett og slett "born to boogie".

To prove a point about measuring up and fitting in, Texas teen Willowdean “Dumplin’” Dickson enters a local pageant run by her ex-beauty queen mom.

The four young Scandinavian women Helene, Marte, Pauline and Wilde are all fat, and they’re not ashamed of it. They are part of a growing fat-activism movement that supports fat women and fights for body positivity and inclusivity. The message is that you’re beautiful just as you are. The women connect and support one another at group activities and outings.

Beyond the scheduled programme of a school trip, three teenagers find ways to pass the time. Between tenderness, boredom and rejection they all try to find their own place in the group.

On a tortuous visit to the nutritionist, Julia (16) must decide whether she continues to live in the shadow of her mother's comments regarding her image, or begins to have a voice of her own.