Run, Fat Boy, Run – Simon Pegg / Dylan Moran

Run, Fat Boy, Run
Simon Pegg, Dylan Moran, Hank Azaria, Thandie Newton
Directed by David Schwimmer
Warner Home Video 2008
100 minutes

Run, Fat Boy, Run is a decent enough British comedy DVD in the good old guy must prove himself to the woman he loves mold. This movie features a solid cast and less than mundane direction by David Schwimmer. The director seems to be as humorless as his character on Friends, so you keep getting the feeling Run, Fat Boy, Run could have been a lot better.

Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Spaced) plays Dennis, a thirty something man who has yet to grow up. Five years before he left his pregnant wife to be at the altar, and now she is seeing a successful American hedge fund manager (Hank Azaria). Jealous, and slowly realizing his big mistake, Dennis decides to run in the charity marathon the boyfriend is participating in the way to win back his ex-girlfriend’s respect, if not her love.

Run, Fat Boy, Run features a very familiar story with few if any surprises. Simon Pegg does his best with a rather flat character. The underused Dylan Moran (Black Books) does not stretch too many acting muscles as Dennis’ best friend. The American boyfriend character could have been played by any actor and Azaria does what he can.

The only really interesting character in this British comedy is the girlfriend, played by Thandie Newton. If Newton was not such a pretty woman, it would be difficult to see why Dennis is going through all this trouble to win her back as, again, there is not much character there.

Run, Fat Boy, Run manages to keep you interested and keep watching. This is not a great comedy DVD but it makes a good second rental on a rainy or cold night.

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