Run, Fatboy, Run

"That was the second most disgusting fluid I've ever had in my eye"

David Schwimmer’s directorial debut is a fair attempt to regain his old reputation

Run, Fatboy, Run. At first, I thought it might be a sort of spoof of one of my favourite films, Run Lola Run. And although the opening scene was undoubtedly a nod in that direction, the actual mass of the film was far from it. That’s not to discourage you from seeing the film, but, naturally, a comedy of this nature usually lacks real substance. This one certainly attempts to put meaning into it, but the message is distilled through the heavy comedic undertow.

The film follows Dennis (Simon Pegg) and his attempts to win back his ex-fiancée Libby (Thandie Newton), who he had left at the altar five years previous. Simon is an irresponsible man with an unimpressive job as a security guard at a ladies’ lingerie store. After his fiancée meets Whit (Hank Azaria) and begins dating him, Dennis decides to mimic his competition and run a marathon. In the end, it becomes more of a test of his will. The main message of the film – persevere!

Perseverance…is that a novel concept? Of course not; we’ve seen it several times before in several other films. That is why I say this movie lacks substance; it tells us nothing new. But, in its defense, I doubt it was ever meant to. Director David Schwimmer is most recognizable for his comedic role in the TV series Friends. Although it’s been a while since we’ve seen anything out of him, I can’t deny that David Schwimmer’s directorial debut is a fair attempt to regain his old reputation. The comedy was incredibly witty, much in the same fashion as Shawn of the Dead. Furthermore, the cast consists mostly of Brits, who are naturally wittier than most. They give a great flow to the film; I think everything is funnier in a British accent (The Royle Family, anyone?). Lastly, I’d like to comment on Simon Pegg. He’s become one of the new recognized faces for comedies in the U.S., but I saw something very different in him in this film. Although this film lacked substance, it didn’t lack emotion. Pegg’s portrayal of a man that wants to change was funny, of course, but, it was also believable. I doubt Pegg will deviate from his comfort zone of comedies, but I saw a lot of potential in him, and I think we can expect some pretty great things out of him in the years to come.

Run, Fatboy, Run is definitely worth the comedic value for the entrance fee, and it was an overall pleasant film to watch. For this, I give it a B.