Run, Fatboy, Run
Simon Pegg is wonderful. I often feel like he is a national treasure. Often feel? No. I feel this all the time. I think that he should be put on notes alongside his merry men Edgar Wright and Nick Frost. I feel like there should be monuments, pillars in the sky and flags waving whenever these men are mentioned. They are the new faces of British comedy, nailing it every time whilst Pegg knocks down the barriers between USA comedy and UK (with the other two, naturally, doing the same but at varying paces.) In fact, I often think Pegg deserved a lot more recognition for this downright superb acting in The World’s End and dealing with an alcoholic and downtrodden man in a very visceral way.
But his track record hasn’t been entirely plain saying as his everyman loser routine wore very thin too quickly in David Schwimmer’s (yes, that David Schwimmer’s) Run Fatboy Run. Also starring Hank Azaria and Thandie Newton, it revolves around Dennis who five years prior to the film, left his pregnant fiancé at the altar. Now a layabout Dad who makes more mistakes than being actually useful, he finds his ex is seeing someone new. Realising that he doesn’t quite what to let her go yet, he makes a grand gesture to run the marathon to prove he can commit to something. Can he get into shape for his soul mate?
Why Is It Bad?
Well, it’s a little bit bland. Schwimmer’s movie is a slightly predictable yarn that becomes so dull at some points that it feels like a rather big snooze fest. The formulaic set up is tiresome and it is only perforated by some rather shitty jokes like bursting a blister in a gross out kind of way. When it works, it’s fine but it’s never entirely awesome the way an ex- Friends star and a Cornetto Trilogy genius combination. Run Fatboy Run can be, well, boring. It’s use of rigid romantic comedy clichés and Britishness feels more recycled than innovative and fresh. It’s no Big Nothing.
Why Is It Good?
It’s that quintessential English romantic comedy where the loser, who fucked up royally in the first time, actually redeems himself by showing he is willing to commit. It’s damn near impossible to not feel entirely warmed at this film that feels like Richard Curtis is somewhere pulling the strings. The ending is really uplifting and Azaria plays the ultimate douchebag jock bad guy who has such a moment of dickheadedness that you will be booing and hissing like an overdone panto. Plus Pegg has enough charisma to hold the film together, dragging you along his story and his unforgettable charm that you’ll pleasantly sit through it, even if it is an uphill struggle at times.
Run, Fatboy, Run is like exercise. It starts off with a great idea, you’ll regret it instantly, you’ll hit a major wall with it but on the other side, you’ll feel better for watching so. It also has some of the greatest moments. See: young boy swearing and over-enthusiastic commentator.