I’m not too sure what makes David Schwimmer (Friends) a candidate for the role of Director, but this, his debut, would probably have passed most people by without a second glance if not for Simon Pegg’s presence, a more popular British comedy actor would be hard to find at the moment. Personally, I think Pegg is a refreshing talent, and has enough charm and comedic skill to carry a workable film the distance; he had a writing hand in this film too. Would his appeal prove hios worth with Run, Fat Boy, Run? Let’s find out!
The movie starts with a little background as we see Dennis (Pegg) performing the misdeed for which he later feels remorse and not a little pique at the presence of another on the scene, so without going any deeper into the plot, he is a man with a past. We now switch to the future and establish the characters within his immediate sphere of influence, together with his settings in a small basement flat,, his neighbours and his not too healthy lifestyle. All of this is done quite well, there are no surprises, but his friend Gordon (Dylan Moran) and Dennis strike off of each other with a string of affable one-liners that keep you grinning, whilst his former girl Libby (Thandie Newton) adds a bit of glamour to the piece, and his interaction with his son Jake is amusing if not an anti-role model for separated fathers. We have the villain of the piece in the shape of Libby’s new dalliance with Whit, a successful American hedge fund trader, with an upwardly mobile lifestyle and an all round good egg….or so it seems….
The movie has a feel good factor, despite the somewhat awkwardness of the premise, for as we see, there seems top be no contest between the two men in Libby’s life, the Father of Jake is a washed out, slob, with no aspirations other than those of a beer and fag, whilst Whit is charming, intelligent, wealthy and healthy! See, no contest and no story! But this is the movies, and furthermore Britcom, so all is played with a rather straight face whilst two fingers are raised to the preconception of reality. The interplay begins between the characters, with a few financial wagers, friendships developing, watch for neighbour Mr. Ghoshdashtidar, a very well done part, and the rivalry escalating between Whit and Dennis. The scene now set, a few set pieces are put in motion and the whole thing swings towards the finale.
The movie is definitely predictable, it feels formulaic and not a little contrived, but Newton, Moran and Pegg instil it with not a little warmth and honesty that projects from the movie to make it better than it really suggests it will be. It is a story that says little, but feels like an old friend that you are enjoying spending some time with, a bit of a laugh, a nod to the visual gag (the scene in the underwear shop for instance) and the use of Pegg’s brand of silliness in humour.
6/10, I could be unkind and say the whole thing limps along on the back of an uneven storyline, and that Schwimmer seems to have no impact on the movie in terms of a style. But I laughed a few times and giggled at others and I felt entertained, certainly for a movie with no pretentious morality, it beats hand down a lot of the Hollywood hokum. I would not pay full whack for this one, unlike Sean of the Dead or indeed Hot Fuzz, but there is a lot worse out there.