Run, Fat Boy, Run: The Movie

March 04, 2008 | in Hella Sound | 0 Comments

A quicky look at Run, Fat Boy, Run, due in theaters March 28, 2008.

Just saw a commercial for this movie over the weekend. Interesting…

From what I can gather from the trailer and teasers, the plot seems to follow a familiar line:

boy has girl
boy messes up
boy loses girl
boy has change of heart
boy has to defeat girl’s new love interest to prove to girl that he is not a total sack of crap
boy comes from behind in the end and wins back girl

Based on Simon Pegg’s previous movies (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), there’ll be gags and physical comedy appealing to British sensibilities. David Schwimmer of all people is directing this movie—something he’s apparently done a few times in the past. Maybe that will help bring Simon Pegg to an American audience.

What Caught My Eye

The central vehicle for the character to prove himself is running a marathon. In real life people enter to prove something to themselves, and maybe the people around them. It makes sense in the context of this familiar/formulaic plot line, and it’s surprising that I can’t recall a mainstream comedy in recent years that used a race in this way.

I also find it interesting that the race is a Nike-sponsored event—I’ll be watching for product placement and how the Nike brand is conveyed. They’ve got such a good thing going, and they’re no doubt careful about how their brand is portrayed.