Run Fatboy Run

A British comedy directed by David Schwimmer, written by Michael Ian Black with work on it by Simon Pegg. Five years ago Dennis ran out on his pregnant fiancée at the church on their wedding day. He now works as a security guard, is out of shape, and has a thin relationship with his son. His ex, Libby, is with a new partner, Whit, and Whit runs marathons. Dennis decides to run one; he has no training and three weeks. What works is that it refuses to make Dennis charming: he really did run, he really is irresponsible, and a marathon does not repair it. Libby is not made to feel she must take him back. The best-known scene comes at the end of the race, where the cramp in his leg is staged as hitting a wall. Simon Pegg plays Dennis, Thandiwe Newton plays Libby and Hank Azaria plays Whit, with Dylan Moran in support. It did well in Britain. A painless evening for anyone who likes light British comedy. For a viewer expecting the films Pegg made with Edgar Wright, this is far more ordinary and never steps outside its shape.