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| Americans tackle British humor in 'Run Fatboy’ (B+) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Craig Outhier, Get Out | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| March 27, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Evidently, the tradition of the plucky, blue-collar Brit who embarks on a quixotic journey of self-betterment has become so practiced — in movies such as “The Full Monty,” “Blow Dry,” “On a Clear Day,” ad infinitum — even a pair of Yanks can tap it. So “Run Fatboy Run” isn’t necessarily full of surprises. It’s absolutely packed with belly-laughs, and proves a high-performance comic vehicle for actor Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead”). As Dennis, a London bachelor who makes ends meet — barely — as a security guard for a high-end women’s lingerie shop, Pegg effortlessly slips into his favorite persona: the lovable slacker with something to prove. Alas, life is one modest humiliation after another for Dennis. After a day of utter boredom at the shop — interrupted only by the odd, bra-stealing transvestite — he comes home to the daily harangues of his Indian landlord (Harish Patel) and the landlord’s bafflingly hot daughter (newcomer India de Beaufort). Poor, pudgy Dennis never pays the rent on time. It didn’t have to be this way. Years ago, Dennis played the runaway groom, leaving the love of his life, Libby (Thandie Newton), at the altar. Worse still, she was pregnant with their son, Jake (Matthew Fenton), now an adorable 5-year-old who reveres his ne’er-do-well dad. I know what you’re thinking: Anybody who would consciously reject a stunner like Newton (“Crash”) is gay or crazy — or, in Dennis’ case, mortified by his own perceived shortcomings as a provider. Suffice to say, Dennis still carries a torch for Libby; secretly, he hopes to win her back. Enter Libby’s new, rich American boyfriend: Whit (Hank Azaria), a commodities trader who runs marathons for charity and rarely lets anyone forget it. Competitive instincts aroused, Dennis decides to compete against Whit in an upcoming, Nike-sponsored marathon along the Thames — mostly to prove to Libby that he can follow through on something. The rest, admittedly, isn’t too hard to predict: Dennis finds an unlikely support system in his landlord and Libby’s dissipated, failed-rocker cousin (British standup Dylan Moran, in one scene-stealing moment after another); endures the mammoth foot blisters; suffers the late-second-act loss of confidence; and so on. It’s like a centuries-old yet still-inspiring church hymn, and Schwimmer (the one-time “Friends” star, making a spry and confident directorial debut) and Black (formerly of MTV’s “The State,” co-writing with Pegg) administer it with utmost enthusiasm. That being said, is it any surprise that Dennis’ long-distance aspirations ultimately make him a folk hero to all of London? It’s bullocks, to be sure, but when Dennis finally plows through his runner’s wall, we’re happy to follow. REVIEW 'Run Fatboy Run’Cast: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran Behind the scenes: Directed by David Schwimmer, from a script by Michael Ian Black and Simon Pegg Rated: PG-13 (some rude and sexual humor, nudity, profanity and smoking), 100 minutes Grade: B+ Contact Craig Outhier by email, or phone (480) 898-5683 |
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