Co-written by Michael Ian Black (Stella) and Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead), assumedly under duress, Run, Fatboy, Run appears to be an attempt to see how many otherwise funny people can be gathered to make a completely un-ironically generic comedy. The fact that this is also Dr. Ross Gellars feature directorial debut is surprisingly incidental.
Hank Azaria stars alongside Pegg, with cameos by loads of notable British comedians, including Stephen Merchant (writer of the original UK The Office). Dennis (Pegg) is a pudgy, hapless schmuck who leaves his pregnant fiancée at the alter some five years before the film takes place. Now hes trying to win her and his young son back by proving that yes, he has changed and he is now able to finish what he starts without pussing out. How will he prove that to both her and her rich, athletic, well-endowed new boyfriend? By running a marathon, obviously. Thus starts the predictable sitcom-y plot that sometimes dips into fart gags and gross-out bits, including a golf ball-sized blister on Peggs foot that explodes in his buddys face and a landlord/trainer that whacks him with a spatula for motivation.
The fact that much of the movie takes place on route at Londons Nike River Run marathon just turns the whole thing into a 90-minute sneaker ad. On the bright side, Simon Pegg turns in another pitch-perfect, deadpan performance, doing the best he can with the script that he wrote? What the hell, Simon Pegg?
Fortunately, the films final third is better then the first two but only in the way that 12 stitches are better than 30 when a fencepost rips out your eyeball. Hugely disappointing slacker-turned-hero bullshit, this is what happens when British comedy gets mixed up with American.
(Alliance Atlantis)Hank Azaria stars alongside Pegg, with cameos by loads of notable British comedians, including Stephen Merchant (writer of the original UK The Office). Dennis (Pegg) is a pudgy, hapless schmuck who leaves his pregnant fiancée at the alter some five years before the film takes place. Now hes trying to win her and his young son back by proving that yes, he has changed and he is now able to finish what he starts without pussing out. How will he prove that to both her and her rich, athletic, well-endowed new boyfriend? By running a marathon, obviously. Thus starts the predictable sitcom-y plot that sometimes dips into fart gags and gross-out bits, including a golf ball-sized blister on Peggs foot that explodes in his buddys face and a landlord/trainer that whacks him with a spatula for motivation.
The fact that much of the movie takes place on route at Londons Nike River Run marathon just turns the whole thing into a 90-minute sneaker ad. On the bright side, Simon Pegg turns in another pitch-perfect, deadpan performance, doing the best he can with the script that he wrote? What the hell, Simon Pegg?
Fortunately, the films final third is better then the first two but only in the way that 12 stitches are better than 30 when a fencepost rips out your eyeball. Hugely disappointing slacker-turned-hero bullshit, this is what happens when British comedy gets mixed up with American.
