RUN, FATBOY, RUN
UK, 2008, 100 minutes, Colour.
Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran, Harish Patel, India de Beaufort, Matthew Fenton, Ruth Sheen.
Directed by David Schwimmer.
Simon Pegg has been emerging recently as a very successful British comedian. He led Shaun of the Dead and was an excellent hapless policeman in Hot Fuzz. He has also gone to Hollywood and appeared with Gwynneth Paltrow and Martin Freeman in The Good Night.
This is a pleasantly self-deprecating romantic comedy about true love, losing weight and running a marathon! And it has been directed by American David Schwimmer in his life after Friends. (He and Pegg had appeared together in the caper comedy, Big Nothing.)
Pegg is Dennis who jilted his pregnant fiancée (Thandie Newton) at the altar. Five years later he realises he is still in love with her and is determined to rival her new boyfriend (Hank Azariah) by upstaging him by running. He has trouble getting into shape but is aided and hindered by his gambling friend (Dylan Moran) but egged on and trained by his large Indian neighbour (a comic Harish Patel). There are some running gags and an all-out effort in winning races and girlfriends.
I suppose it could be called a comedy for the middle-aged and middle-aged-spread-challenged and a moral fable about not giving up even if you have made stupid and selfish mistakes in the past!
1.An entertaining British comedy, small-scale, quirky, emotional, nice but with an edge?
2.The London settings, authentic, the streets and the homes, the city, shops, the marathon? The musical score?
3.The title and the taunt, the wedding, Dennis running away, the security guard work and his chase of the thieves? The challenge to him? The marathon, his motives? Practice, coaches, the actual running of the marathon? His finally coming over the line? Achievement?
4.Dennis and Libby, Libby pregnant, the wedding day, the arrangements, Gordon and his messing the cake, inappropriate behaviour towards Libby, going into the room, seeing Dennis, in the church, everybody ready, Dennis running?
5.Libby and Jake, five years later, their life, Dennis’s visits, his irresponsibility, being late? Libby and her friendship with Whit? Dennis taking Jake out, the tickets for The Lord of the Rings, the tout and his being set up? Bail, Libby’s exasperation?
6.Simon Pegg and his comic style as Dennis, the relationship with Libby, his inability to make a commitment, his love for Jake? The security job, the demands of the boss, chasing the thief, the bra? Being arrested for paying the tout for tickets? His jealousy of Whit, going to visit him at the office, going to the gym, falling on the equipment? At home, the issue of the rent, Maya and her attitude, Mr Goshdashtidar and his attitude? The arguments? Dennis and his deciding to go to the marathon?
7.Whit, the American, business, liking London, attracted to Libby, caring for Jake? Keeping fit, running marathons for charity? Bailing Dennis out? Meeting Dennis and Gordon? His direct manner, talk? The party and the proposal to Libby, her saying yes?
8.Dennis and his training, the short shorts, running a few hundred metres and returning? Mr Goshdashtidar and his being a coach? His friendship with Dennis developing? Gordon and his attempts at coaching? Going to the charity, registering? The training?
9.Gordon, lawyer, friend, gambling?
10.The race, Dennis running hard? Whit finishing and going home and watching it on TV? The revelation that he tripped Dennis? Libby and her watching? Dennis and the wall vision, his other self beckoning him, breaking through the wall, the psychology, the physical hurt, crossing the line, seeing Libby and Jake?
11.Happy ever after? An eccentric but comic fable blended with real issues?
