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Five years ago, Dennis (Simon Pegg) freaked out and ran away from his own wedding, leaving his pregnant girlfriend, Libby (Thandie Newton), at the altar. Now, instead of living his happily-ever-after, he’s broke, overweight, and pathetic. He lives alone in a tiny apartment, and he has a crappy job. The only really good thing about his life is his son, Jake (Matthew Fenton)—and he still hopes that someday he and Jake and Libby will be a real family. But then he meets Whit (Hank Azaria).
Libby’s new boyfriend, Whit, is everything that Dennis isn’t. He’s rich and good-looking, and he’s great with Jake. He even runs marathons for charity. So, in a last-ditch attempt to get Libby’s attention, Dennis announces that he’s going to run in the same marathon as Whit. He’s only got three weeks to train—but his fat, old landlord, Mr. Ghoshdashtidar (Harish Patel), and his compulsive-gambling friend, Gordon (Dylan Moran), are determined to help him finally follow through on something.
Even though Run Fat Boy Run was co-written by Michael Ian Black (whose sense of humor I’ve found to be rather questionable) and directed by first-timer David Schwimmer (yep, that David Schwimmer), I couldn’t help but look forward to seeing it. After all, Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) is quite possibly one of the funniest men alive—and even if the movie turned out to be nothing more than Pegg sitting on a stool, reading the obituaries, I’m pretty sure I’d still find it absolutely hilarious. But, fortunately, Run Fat Boy Run is more than just Simon Pegg reading the obits.
The story isn’t exactly new or surprising (loveable loser goes to extreme lengths to try to keep the woman of his dreams from marrying some pompous jerk). But what it lacks in originality, it more than makes up for in charm. Pegg is the perfect underdog—pudgy and aimless, but with a good heart. He’s just plain cute—and you can’t help but root for him. Newton, though drop-dead gorgeous, is still absolutely adorable—and even accessible. In fact, each one of the characters (though often rather cliché) is loveable in his or her own way.
But don’t go jumping to the conclusion that Run Fat Boy Run is just another chick flick. It’s still outrageously funny, too—thanks to some surprisingly solid writing, a consistently comical cast (with nearly spot-on delivery), and even a capable first-time director (who knew?). At times, the humor is random—and sometimes it’s just plain gross—but it rarely misses, and it never goes too far.
Run Fat Boy Run makes a great date movie—because it’s cute enough for the girls and outrageous enough for the guys. And as for this bitter and cynical film critic, well, I’ll take Simon Pegg and company over the Judd Apatow gang any day.
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