In Run, Fat Boy, Run, Simon Pegg stars as Dennis, an average guy who panicked and left his pregnant fiancée, Libby (Thandie Newton), at the altar. Five years later, he's still in her life--after all, he might just be a go-nowhere lingerie store security guard with a basement apartment he can barely afford, but he is a great dad to his son Jake (Matthew Fenton). But when it appears as
though the wealthy, charming, fit American banker, Whit (Hank Azaria) is threatening to take his place in both Libby's and Jake's lives, Dennis is spurred into action. He will prove himself to Libby by beating Whit at his own game -- marathon running. Except there's a catch -- Dennis is completely lazy, fat, and out of shape, and Whit is a career marathoner.
Pegg's fanbase will undoubtedly turn out for this movie, looking for the good ol' Pegg treatment, but they will also undoubtedly be disappointed. Unlike the genre send-ups Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz for which Pegg is best known, Run, Fat Boy, Run is a just a straight-up romantic comedy -- and sadly not a particularly good one, at that.
Originally written by the oddly dour Michael Ian Black (Reno 911! , The Ten) to be set in America, Pegg's main contribution to the script was simply to 'translate' it to London. As such, there is nary a drip of the satire at which he so excels to be found. Okay, I'm exaggerating. There is a fight scene between Dennis and his best friend Gordon (frequent Pegg collaborator Dylan Moran) that, while fun, smacks of a gratuitous nod to his previous movies and as such serves to both not fit in with this one, and make you long for his others.
Run, Fat Boy, Run is also notable in that it is the feature film directorial debut of everyone's favorite Friend, David Schwimmer. And although he arguably has ample directorial experience in both theater and television, I am sorry to say Schwimmer completely lacks what it takes to ever get this movie off the ground. The story is fairly formula and the actors are basically on mark, yet the jokes (most of which are so predictable they are telegraphed a mile in advance) land with a virtually audible thud in the theater. But even most of the funny ones died in the air. Butt shots of a slovenly Gordon? Dennis's cute, albeit insultingly emasculated Indian landlord (Harish Patel)? Thud and thud. And the physical manifestation of the 'wall' every runner hits actually made me cringe.
I will say that Run, Fat Boy, Run does take a turn for the better by the third act, and you find yourself actually rooting for Dennis despite the odds. And sure, his relationship with his son is cute and heartwarming. But, for the most part the movie plods along anemically, dampening the spirits of even the most ardent Pegg fans like a disappointingly tepid bath. Our recommendation? Unless you are desperate for relive your good old days raking in the greenbacks in London City or as a marathon trainer, you should skip this one. Go for a jog instead.
ReelzChannel Rating: 