I feel I should explain myself on this one, as I have recieved my fair share of controversy within my circle of friends for announcing this film deserves 4 stars.
It recieved mixed reviews by the "professional" critics. But this is not a film for the critics. It is a film for the audience.
About 6 weeks ago I watched Run, Fatboy, Run for the first time, having kept close tabs on the reviews I had not seeked it out particularly, but one day, finding myself with nothing to do I decided to watch it over a ready-made lasagne (it was delicious)
Run, Fatboy, Run is your typical underdog sports story. A down-and-out middle aged man runs a marathon for some reason (In this case, to impress the woman he loves, after leaving her pregnant at the alter). It's these silly nuances that separates this film from the rest, the script is by no means a masterpiece but is very adept in it's storytelling and in all honesty, very funny.
The characters I think are superbly developed. Simon Pegg's incarnation of an unfit, middle class loser are scarily vivid. While across-the-pond actor Hank Azaria (one of my favourites) lends his versatility to the film and becomes an obnoxious american businessman/usurper douchebag. Dylan Moran made this film for me, however. His soft Irish accent and waster mannerisms make him by far the most amiable character in the film, with arguably the best lines, one that comes to mind immediately is during the douchebag's party scene, when he is being showed round the flat comes to the bathroom and says "Would it be weird if I took a bath? It would be weird, wouldn't it?" Well done to him for such a great performance.
The reason this film got such a contextually bad reception was for, I think, the reason that people are sued to Simon Pegg's works being outstanding. Big Train was a triumph at the turn of the millennium and the Blood and Ice Cream films are arguable some of he best examples of comedy films ever. I think comparison to these is unfair. Simon Pegg co-wrote this film with an American, Micheal Ian Black, this goes to show the film was intended for a wider market than Pegg's other works. Shaun of the Dead was, let's face it, pretty niche. An American Director also robbed the film of some of it's critical potential, but I suppose what I want to get across is that this film can't be lumped in with the rest, it's not essentially a British film. Wide-appeal films are never going to be regarded as classics (bar a few), this film has absolutely nothing remarkable about it, but it;s SO good at being what it is, a funny, casual comedy film with a heart. Say what you like, I really don't care. Run, Fatboy, Run is a great film.
Rating: ****/*****
Sequel: Never
Best Moment: "Come on up then!"
Oh and in the spirit of American competence, happy Independence Day to all!
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