When a charming but overweight Dennis (Simon Pegg) leaves his pregnant fiancée, Libby, on their wedding day, it takes him years to realize how strong his love for her truly is. But, her heart has now been snatched up by a handsome, wealthy man who can't wait to make their love a lifelong commitment. To Dennis, this new man is completely wrong for the mother of his child and he will do anything to win her back. Prompted to finish the annual Nike marathon, Dennis must work hard to overcome his out-of-shape stature and secure his one had, now lost love. The track is going to be difficult, but with Dennis, everything is difficult.
Simon Pegg and Thandie Newton hit a home-run in David Schwimmer's directorial debut as Run, Fat Boy, Run scores with a great cast, script and director, becoming one of the elite romantic comedies that actually work.
What makes this film so enjoyable is the sarcastic, undertone and often dry humor of Simon Pegg. Nailing the part of Dennis perfectly, Pegg works hard to convey a man who has just come to realize the biggest mistake that he has ever made in life. And with some amazing comedic timing and facial expressions that are worth a thousand words, Pegg sells his character as being real, fighting through things just like you and me.
In addition to Pegg you have Thandie Newton and Hank Azaria who play Libby and her new-found love interest respectively. Both actors give stellar performances as their chemistry is strong, setting the stage for a well-rounded, multi-talented cast that will surely have you laughing in no time.
But it wasn't only the actors that stepped up to the plate. Written by Michael Ian Black and Simon Pegg, Run, Fat Boy, Run contained a phenomenal script full of laughs, love and discovery, bringing its characters to life and making them seem normal. In addition, the script takes a very humorous look at the subject of lost love, creating a real-life comedy, forcing the audience to, in essence, laugh at themselves.
And finally I have to comment on Friends alum David Schwimmer, who makes his directorial debut with this film. Knowing Schwimmer as an actor and rare director on television didn't prepare me for what I saw on the big screen. His style was fresh and his approach to the characters was inventive as he proved himself worthy of his director title, taking a decent film and making it great. His outlook on the story and its overall direction amazed me, making me a fan from the very beginning.
It is no surprise that I truly enjoyed Run, Fat Boy, Run. Taking an old fashioned story and giving it a hip, fresh and fun make-over is no easy task; yet Schwimmer, Pegg and company somehow pulled it off, making it a great choice at the cinemas this weekend.
