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David Schwimmer and Simon Pegg teamed up on the very forgettable comedy Big Nothing.  They struck up a friendship there and when Schwimmer decided to direct his first film, he brought Pegg along for the ride.  Unfortunately they forgot to bring along a script that is humorous or interesting.  Run, Fatboy, Run is a by-the-number expanded sitcom that few people will find funny.

Pegg plays Dennis, a loser that can’t come to grips with leaving his pregnant bride (Thandie Newton) at the altar five years earlier.  Now she’s engaged to an uppity hedge fund manager named Whit (Hank Azaria).  Dennis can’t stand the thought of his ex being with another person and pledges to win her back.  In order to prove his worth, Dennis comes up with a plan to run the London marathon and beat Whit.  Despite being incredibly out of shape, not having a sponsor and the race being a few weeks away, Dennis is determined and apparently that’s all that is needed.  He barely trains, almost gives up several times and is completely out of shape but for dramatic purposes, he’s able to pace the physically fit Whit every step of the way.  Wither or not he wins is immaterial to the film.  All that matters is if Dennis can win his ex back despite being a total prat for five years.

People are smarter than they were in the 80’s and they expect more from their entertainment.  Written by Michael Ian Black (The State, Stella) and Simon Pegg, Run, Fatboy, Run should have been clever and offered up more than a standard formulaic plot.  It’s hard to believe that Newton’s character would leave her successful boyfriend for a barely employed loser like Dennis.  The jokes are predictable and the thinly sketched out characters are little more than sitcom clichés.  The film wraps up exactly the way you would expect.  Run, Fatboy, Run will be quickly forgotten. 

Director Schwimmer does a competent job as director but lacks the skill necessary to create something out of nothing.  Schwimmer doesn’t work with the actors to bring more than mediocrity to their roles.  Pegg and Hank Azaria are great comedic actors who should have been able to play off each other to stunning effect.  Instead Azaria is largely wasted as the films bad guy.  It appears that without Nick Frost to bounce off of, Pegg is lost. 

Run, Fatboy, Run was very successful in the U.K.  It’s hard to imagine it doing very well with U.S. audiences.  Pegg has a built in following but without Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright, most of them will probably stay away.  It should have a good following on DVD.  Perhaps if Schwimmer was better director he could have brought some comic gold to this thoroughly average film.  Run, Fatboy, Run will be sprinting out of the theater as quick as it arrives.

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