Run Fat Boy Run

Director: David Schwimmer

Starring: Simon Pegg, Dylan Moran, Thandie Newton

David Schwimmer, otherwise known as Ross Geller, has dabbled in TV- directing for years, including whilst being a cast member on the hit show Friends. He has now stepped up into the big time and onto the silver screen with British funny-man genius Simon Pegg for his directorial debut Run, Fatboy, Run. Dennis (Pegg), panicked by his impending marriage to his pregnant fiancée, Libby (Newton), does a runner from the wedding only to discover that it was the biggest mistake of his life. Now Libby is engaged again, this time to Whit (Azaria), who does not only undermine Dennis’ ego, but his ability to be a good father. Dennis discovers that the only way to prove his love for Libby and to get his life back on track is to take on Whit in the London Marathon.

This film is so wonderfully crafted - it combines good British humour and acting with America’s beautiful film aesthetics. Schwimmer allows Pegg, famous for TV-hit Spaced and recent films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, to not only provide the comedy (of which there is plenty!) but to provide the depth of the film- the emotional side of Pegg’s acting which we as an audience so infrequently see. This I argue is the key to the film, and which ranks it way above the likes of Hot Fuzz, which, although funny, lacked such depth and integrity. Schwimmer also takes great care in his filmmaking and frames the beauty of the film, Thandie Newton (The Pursuit of Happyness), with such delicacy and grace that there is no way the audience will not fall in love with her. His filmmaking style in general is unique and displays enormous amounts of talent, and the way in which he captures London in the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking.

This film is pure genius, it provides enough comedy to make you laugh your guts out (an incident concerning the popping of a blister is one to look out for), but it also provides an emotional and sensitive story told on a beautiful background of London in the autumn.

Rachael Pilson-Wood