Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Run Fatboy Run Blu-ray Movie Review

Like it or hate it, Simon Pegg is a "loverly" doof.

Reviewed by Lindsay Mayer October 18, 2008

British comic actor Simon Pegg has enjoyed a fair amount of popularity in the United States, due chiefly in part to his sharp, satirical films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Receiving acclaim from critics and audiences alike, the celebrity status of Pegg and his cohorts has risen considerably as a result. In Run Fatboy Run, Pegg teams up with seasoned comedians David Schwimmer and Michael Ian Black to tell the story of a hapless doof who, still very much in love with his ex-fiancée, strives to win her back. He plans to do this by performing the nigh impossible - running a marathon start to finish. Impossible for him, because he is unfit, lacks motivation, and has never finished anything in his life.

Beginning its life as a script written by comedian and self-proclaimed "C-List" actor Michael Ian Black, Run Fatboy Run was initially set in New York City (surprise, surprise!) and featured characters like the protagonist's crotchety old Italian landlord and his wife. Along the way, Pegg contributed to the script, revising the story to be set in London. Subsequently, Friends star David Schwimmer signed on to make his feature film directorial debut, and the rest is history. It is hard to predict whether fans of Pegg's own work will find something to like about this new effort. The more dedicated may favor it simply because it features the actor in another starring role. Those who had their comedic bars set high by Shaun and Fuzz may be let down by this rather generic romantic comedy. Upon its release, the film received squarely mixed reviews - split down the center at 50/50. Fatboy seems, then, to be the very definition of a film that one either likes or hates - there is no gray zone.

Dennis spends some quality time... in a tree... with his son Jake.

Though many proclaim their disappointment in the film's end result, Run Fatboy Run was, in this reviewer's humble opinion, carried quite well on the shoulders of its lead man. Throwing his all into the role and unafraid to perform the most embarrassing feats, or the most physically trying of slapstick, Simon Pegg alone makes the film enjoyable. He makes his underachieving, cowardly character of Dennis plausible and sympathetic. When Dennis sprints off from the altar, leaving his would-be wife alone and pregnant, you really want him to redeem himself. Thus, five years down the road, Dennis - working as a lingerie shop security guard - still has regular contact with his ex. Libby (Thandie Newton) tolerates Dennis' presence because she wishes her son Jake (Matthew Fenton) to have a substantial and amicable relationship with his father.

Libby, however, has supposedly moved on. Running her own pastry shop and raising her son, she has also met the "perfect" man - a U.S. businessman by the name of Whit (Hank Azaria). He is dashing, handsome, well to do and very athletic. In his spare time, he trains to run marathons for charity. Now that Libby has brought forth this competition, the languishing Dennis realizes just how much he wants his love back. Butting heads with Whit, Dennis vows to enter in the upcoming Nike River Run and beat Whit at his own game, so to speak. Though initially his motivation is high, Dennis' solo training is somewhat lacking. It takes the force of his gambling friend Gordon (Dylan Moran) and his Indian landlord Mr. Ghoshdashtidar (Harish Patel) to quite literally whip him into shape.

The trio need a charity and a last-minute registration in order to gain entry to the race. Fortunately, they pull a ruse with a fictional disease and have a chance run-in with one of the race's registration representatives. Gordon is especially invested in this venture; without Dennis' knowledge or consent, Gordon placed a £5000 bet to his poker buddies that Dennis would indeed finish the race. Thus, fueling Dennis' emotional determination to prove himself, he rouses the man at ungodly hours, lances his blisters, even has KY jelly at the ready for chafing nipples. And Mr. Ghoshdashtidar is always at the ready with his spatula! Even his daughter Maya (India de Beaufort) provides Dennis with further incentive; she will forgive him of all his rental debt if he races, but will evict him if he does not. Though Dennis verges on quitting after Whit proposes with Libby, he realizes he cannot continue to flee hardship, and must prove to everyone once and for all that he is worth a damn!

Run Fatboy Run is certainly just light, comic fare, but its characters carry a mundane storyline and make it something truly amusing. The secondary players have a real, human weight to them that makes them more than just throwaway sidekicks. Even the antagonist is not played to the hilt, but feels like a genuinely cocky character who sports only a thin veneer of collected charm, of which unravels in a believable fashion. The racial diversity among the cast is thoroughly appreciated, as it is a rare sight indeed in mainstream film. All the better, it's never spotlit or underlined - the cast fumble and reconcile as they have with all other "romcoms" before or since. Whether it appeals to Pegg fans is highly subjective, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed the antics of Run Fatboy Run.

Run Fatboy Run Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented at a wide 2.40:1 ratio in VC-1, Run Fatboy Run averages about 30 Mbps during playback. New Line as been much maligned concerning their Blu-ray releases, notoriously plagued by too much digital noise reduction. Fortunately, Fatboy seems to have eluded the overzealous mouse cursors for the most part, as its transfer is quite admirable. Good contrast and clarity abound, with a nice level of film grain present throughout the picture. Textures of skin, clothes, and the brick and mortar of London streets display a good sharp relief in every setting. Although the film's color grading is a smidgen too warm (perhaps Schwimmer found the London setting a bit bleak in appearance without it), the hues are still rich and vivid, especially in garish settings such as the Ghoshdashtidar residence, rife with crimson and tangerine hues. Verdant park lawns and lively London streets are other highlights. Shadow detail is rich and deep, and no transfer artifacting is present. Overall, Run Fatboy Run's subject matter is not meant to be a feast for the eyes, but the Blu-ray does sport a robust image that does the film justice.

Run Fatboy Run Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

With a DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless track as its sole offering, Run Fatboy Run sounds pretty darn good on Blu-ray, though one may wonder why such a mix is necessary in the first place. An eight channel lossless track for a romantic comedy? Especially when other films under Warner's watch, like Get Smart and Interview with the Vampire, are getting subpar Blu-ray releases with lossy six channel audio options.

But I digress. Sampled on 5.1 system, Run Fatboy Run features well-balanced work with clear, unmuddled dialogue. The scoring is upbeat without ever feeling intrusive, and the music, particularly The Fratellis' "Chelsea Dagger," is a particularly fun and potent earworm. The front- heavy mix is spread in even measure through the three channels, while the rears pick up a good deal of ambiance, especially in crowd scenes of urban London, or during the marathon sequence. The LFE lends some weight to the proceedings, but overall Run Fatboy Run is a moderately mixed romantic comedy; it leaves one speculating whether such a decadent audio codec should have been utilized in the first place.

Run Fatboy Run Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Being a lower profile release, Run Fatboy Run is supplied with a routine amount of extra material. First off, director David Schwimmer and co-stars Simon Pegg and Thandie Newton (along with occasional asides from Pegg's mother) share anecdotes on the disc's candid Feature Commentary. Much of it consists of the usual "we had to do this in one long take," or "the funniest thing happened on set during this scene..." Although some interesting tidbits are dropped here and there, overall the viewer won't necessarily miss much if they skip this option altogether. Fourteen Deleted Scenes are presented in high definition, singly or with a play all option. Totaling 7½ minutes, the viewer can also elect to hear Schwimmer in a commentary, noting the content of a scene and the reasons for their exclusion, usually the ol' standby of cutting down runtime. The clips fly by at such a brisk pace that the latter option might be the best, in order to contextualize the content for the viewer. About 7 minutes of Outtakes in high definition (and, oddly, DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound) are included, but they are frequently interspliced with footage from the film itself, making it confusing and, due to the "padding" effect, disappointing to watch. Why call them outtakes when half of the footage is not a goof to begin with?

An odd little addition that feels more like an Easter egg than a part of the menu proper is Goof; a 3 minute clip in standard definition depicting crew prepping Simon Pegg for a promotional interview (complete with film poster in the background and intense lighting). Pegg's water bottles, however, are all filled with vodka - the handiwork of practical joker co-star Thandie Newton. The last feature in this light package are two Trailers for the film, both presented in high definition. The international cut, with DTS 5.1 sound, is more slapdash and plays up the film's comic elements, while the domestic version, in Dolby stereo, tries a tad more dramatic angle.

Run Fatboy Run Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Although fans of Simon Pegg's previous films may find themselves disappointed, Run Fatboy Run still contains plenty of humor, its strengths coming from a very "human" cast of characters carrying a generic feel-good story. The Blu-ray release has great picture quality, aside from color tones being a notch too warm. Though its 7.1 lossless audio mix seems a bit overkill for a dialogue-heavy comedy, it boasts great quality regardless. Run Fatboy Run is definitely worth a look on Blu-ray, whether rental or otherwise!