Review: Run Fatboy Run (2007)

I'm going through a little Simon Pegg phase at the moment (really?! you wouldn't guess from our draft list!! haha!) after getting my other half to watch Shaun of the Dead for the first time. I forgot how much I loved his films and I hadn't seen Run Fatboy Run since it came out in the cinema 7 years ago, so it was about time I re-visited it!

On his wedding day, Dennis (Simon Pegg) panicked and ran away from his future wife who was pregnant with their first child. Five years later, his ex-fiancée Libby (Thandie Newton) has moved on and leads a successful life with their son Jake and her boyfriend Whit (Hank Azaria). Dennis is determined to win her back and so enters a marathon to prove himself.

If you've ever seen one of my favourite Christmas films Jingle All the Way, the theme is familiar. Bad Dad must better himself and right the wrongs he did in the past. Admittedly, what Dennis did 5 years ago was truly awful and certainly can't be solved by running a marathon, but that's all I'll say without spoiling the ending for you.  That's what I could never get my head around when I watched this film, how does running a marathon fix anything?!

You can expect the same kind of humour as Simon Pegg's other films. Swear words dotted about, funny faces and the middle finger, and subtle moments where if you blink you might just miss them. Also, as an un-fit person trying to get fit, this film is hilarious. We've all looked like Simon Pegg above during our first spin class, right? I think I can do outdoor running just as well as he can too, although I'm slightly better dressed.  That is EXACTLY what I looked like in the ONE spin class I ever attended!

I love the Simon Pegg film humour, its typically British (see my At Worlds End vs This is the End post coming soon...) and I have to say although it made me want to vomit a little bit the blister scene had me in stitches.  I did kind of miss Nick Frost after Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz but I suppose that can be forgiven!

Hank Azaria makes a great sort-of bad guy, but the supporting characters are fantastic too, mainly Dennis' best friend Gordon (Dylan Moran) who only spurs Dennis on because he has a huge bet on him completing the marathon, and Dennis' landlord Mr Goshdashtidar (yes, I checked my spelling) who declares himself Dennis' assistant coach and slaps him with a spatula every 5 minutes.

For me Mr Goshdashtidar (I copied and pastes Allie's from above ha!) was the highlight, which is surprising as a fan of Simon Pegg but he stole ever scene he was in.  It wasn't as funny as Shaun of the Dead, but then it was more predictable so you sort of saw the jokes coming, whereas in SotD you literally had no idea what was going to happen next!  They took the rom-com and turned it on it's head (albeit kept the predictable bits) and limited rom bit and focused on the com bit.

I really do love this film. I cried a little at the ending, but then it doesn't take much to set me off. Run Fatboy Run is my ideal film when it comes to comedy, and I love how it doesn't have to have a Hollywood hunk to be a great rom-com either. I have to mark it down for Dennis' actions at the very start of the film though, as I image to some it would make his character come across as very unlike-able. 

 

I will also recommend a Simon Pegg film (except How to lose friends and alienate people...) because I love his sense of humour and difference his films have to other comedies out there.  If you haven't seen it, see it, if you have, see it again.