Director David Schwimmer, best known as 'Ross' in 'Friends,' is becoming something of an Anglophile - directing not just several episodes of 'Little Britain USA,' but also the cute London-based romantic comedy 'Run, Fat Boy, Run.''Fat Boy' is the story of Dennis (Simon Pegg), an directionless Londoner still yearning for the love of his life Libby (Thandie Newton) who he abandoned at the alter five years earlier.
When she hooks up with suave, marathon-running Whit (Hank Azaria - best known as the voices on The Simpsons), a re-inspired Dennis decides to win Libby back by running the London marathon.
It's a predictable, yet appealing romp. Although Schwimmer never steers it far from the footsteps of gentle comedies like 'Four Weddings and a Funeral', there are still some surprisingly hilarious scenes and the schmaltz isn't laid on as thickly as you might fear.
Although 'Fat Boy' markets itself on the appeal of its two stars, popular funnymen Simon Pegg and Dylan Moran, this is no 'Sean of the Dead.'
While both play their trademark characters (the lovable loser and the cunning drunk) 'Run, Fat Boy, Run' ultimately performs like one of the marathon runners it portrays: Measured, well-paced, competent - but ultimately unadventurous.
It's perfect for a night in with a loved one, but unlike Pegg and Moran's other collaborations, 'Fat Boy' is not a classic you'll watch again and again or quote incessantly.
1 comment:
I would agree that this was not the most memorable movie, but the casting was great and they really brought it together. I don't know if this was Schwimmer's first time directing or not, but it seemed to flow pretty well.
I did watch it a second time while I had it (library checkout) to have the audio commentary with Simon's mom on the audio track. That alone was worth a second watching just to hear her talking about it.
I wasn't dispapointed at all in this film and actually glad to see Simon Pegg working with someone other than Nick Frost and Edgar Wright to change things up.
Post a Comment