BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON – A Review by Cynthia Flores
This film seems like it has a straightforward but creative premise. An overweight NYC twenty-nine-year-old party girl named Brittany (Jillian Bell) realizes her life is going nowhere and sets out to lose weight and train for the city’s famous annual marathon. Cue laugh track and string of jokes and pratfalls about being a fat chick in a skinny world. Well this is not that simple or trite a film. Brittany Runs A Marathon is based on a true story. So, there are real heartfelt situations and natural comedy that comes out of the problems she is facing. This is the feature directorial debut of writer/director Paul Downs. If this is his first time out of the gate I can’t wait to see what he does next.
I love the fact that as Brittany comes to grips with getting fit she starts to see who her true friends are. She takes a hard look at her roommate and gal pal Gretchen (Alice Lee). Gretchen is too wrapped up living her life online and getting followers to be supportive of Brittany’s efforts to change. The fact that she ends up in a group that supports each other as they train for the marathon is a miracle in itself. Brittany’s running partners are Catherine (Michaela Watkins) who is her neighbor, is fit and thin and seems to have it all and Seth (Micah Stock) a gay man with a kid who wants to be fit so he can pay with his child better. None of them would have been friends if it were not for running. Add the character of the city of New York to the mix and you have a hit.
Brittany Runs A Marathon is a brilliant, realistic, and funny heartbreak of a film. Anyone that has struggled with weight can relate to this movie. I give this film an A+ so walk or run to your local theater and enjoy.
Directed by Paul Downs Colaizzo
Written by Paul Downs Colaizzo
Rated R
Running Time 1hr 44min
Comedy / Drama
Wide Release Sept 6th
Starring: Jillian Bell, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Alice Lee, Michaela Watkins, Micah Stock, Lil Rel Howery
The Selig Rating Scale:
A – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
B – Good movie
C – OK movie
D – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
F – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
