Run Fatboy Run
Encyclopedia
Run Fatboy Run is a 2007 British comedy film
directed by David Schwimmer
, written by Michael Ian Black
and Simon Pegg
, and starring Pegg, Dylan Moran
, Thandie Newton
, Harish Patel
, India de Beaufort
, and Hank Azaria
. It was released in the UK on September 7, 2007, in Canada
on September 10, 2007, and in the United States on March 28, 2008.
Dennis Doyle (Simon Pegg
) is about to marry Libby (Thandie Newton
), his pregnant
fiancée
. However, he gets cold feet and runs away during the preparation for the wedding, leaving Libby in shock and pain. Five years later, his life has gone in circles ever since. When Dennis discovers that Libby has started seeing high-flying go-getter Whit (Hank Azaria
), with their son, Jake, he realizes it is now or never. He finds out that Whit is running the Nike River Marathon in London
, and to prove himself to his doubting friends and, most importantly, Libby and his son, he decides to run the race himself. He receives motivation from his two "coaches", Gordon (Dylan Moran
), Libby's cousin and Dennis' best friend who has made a hefty bet on Dennis succeeding, and Mr. Ghoshdastidar (Harish Patel
) his landlord, who uses unorthodox methods of training, such as using a spatula to spank him. Days before the race, Whit proposes to Libby at her birthday party. Libby accepts and this puts Dennis in a state of depression. Meanwhile, Jake, who has formed a crush on a girl in his class, runs away angry when he discovers that she prefers another boy just because he has a ponytail. Dennis, upon being informed by a frightened Libby, tracks him down and explains to him that he will find many things he does not like in his life and he should just stand up to them and face them, rather than running away, having made that mistake himself, so he decides to race.
Dennis starts the race alongside Whit, who informs Dennis that he intends to move Libby and Jake to Chicago
, Illinois
. Angered, Dennis insults Whit and they tussle for a while at the start of the race and, in their efforts to out-do each other, they catch up to and then overtake the professional runners, and suddenly Whit trips Dennis and badly injures him. Stretchers prepare to take Dennis to the hospital. Whit continues, but is taken to the hospital after feeling ill and feeling pain in his leg. Libby goes to the hospital to find Dennis, but only finds Whit, who claims loudly that his injuries are the result of Dennis deliberately tripping him. The doctor tells him he is not actually injured and has only "hit the wall". Whit, in a fit of anger, calls Jake a "little shit" because Jake played with Whit's hospital bed, to Libby's horror.
Dennis has in fact refused to be transported to the hospital or even get medical attention and is continuing the race well into the afternoon and evening with a sprained ankle, accompanied by a growing group of supporters, including Gordon and Mr. Ghoshdastidar. An exhausted Dennis almost "hits the wall" but after an emotional inner struggle, his resolve to complete the race is restored. Later at Whit's house, Libby, Jake and Whit, watch a television replay of the Whit/Dennis tussle, as the replay shows that in fact Whit had deliberately tripped Dennis up and had fallen over because he had gotten tangled up with Dennis as he was falling. As Whit tries to justify his behavior, he blurts out his intentions to have Libby and Jake move to Chicago with him. A furious Libby puts the engagement ring on a table, telling Whit "nobody's perfect" and storms out with Jake, who says "What a shithead". The two go to meet Dennis as he arrives at the finish line. Dennis falls over just metres from the finish line and cannot get up until he sees Libby and Jake calling to him at which point he gets up, sprints to the finish and collapses in their arms.
What appears to be several weeks later, notably slimmer Dennis comes by Libby's house to pick up Jake. He says that he has something to ask her, but is interrupted by Jake, and says he'll talk to her later. However, just after she shuts the door, he knocks again and asks her out.
In the film's postscript, Gordon — on the bridge of a new yacht — tells the tale of the race to two attractive bikini-clad women, whom he invites aboard for a drink.
The camera then pans to reveal to the audience that he isn't wearing any pants.
reported that 48% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 142 reviews. Metacritic
reported the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 27 reviews.
in its opening week and remained at the top of the chart for four weeks. To date it has earned over £10.5 million. On its opening weekend, it grossed about $US2.3 million. As of May 1, 2008, the film has grossed $US34,986,194.
and Blu-Ray formats.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by David Schwimmer
David Schwimmer
David Lawrence Schwimmer is an American actor and director of television and film. He was born in New York City, and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was two. He began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School. In 1988, he graduated from Northwestern...
, written by Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times...
and Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
, and starring Pegg, Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran is an Irish stand-up comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his sardonic observational comedy, the UK television sitcom Black Books , and his work with Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run...
, Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton
Thandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
, Harish Patel
Harish Patel
Harish is an Indian actor. He has a relative called Himesh Patel, he is Tamwar in EastEnders. Although mainly associated with the stage, he has also appeared in comedy films and on television. He began performing at the age of seven, when he played both male and female parts in the Hindu epic...
, India de Beaufort
India de Beaufort
India de Beaufort is an English actress and singer/songwriter from London whose appearances include roles in Basil Brush and Run Fatboy Run. She played Aneka, a pagan warrior maiden, in the 2009 series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire...
, and Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
. It was released in the UK on September 7, 2007, in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on September 10, 2007, and in the United States on March 28, 2008.
Plot
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
) is about to marry Libby (Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton
Thandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
), his pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
fiancée
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
. However, he gets cold feet and runs away during the preparation for the wedding, leaving Libby in shock and pain. Five years later, his life has gone in circles ever since. When Dennis discovers that Libby has started seeing high-flying go-getter Whit (Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
), with their son, Jake, he realizes it is now or never. He finds out that Whit is running the Nike River Marathon in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and to prove himself to his doubting friends and, most importantly, Libby and his son, he decides to run the race himself. He receives motivation from his two "coaches", Gordon (Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran is an Irish stand-up comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his sardonic observational comedy, the UK television sitcom Black Books , and his work with Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run...
), Libby's cousin and Dennis' best friend who has made a hefty bet on Dennis succeeding, and Mr. Ghoshdastidar (Harish Patel
Harish Patel
Harish is an Indian actor. He has a relative called Himesh Patel, he is Tamwar in EastEnders. Although mainly associated with the stage, he has also appeared in comedy films and on television. He began performing at the age of seven, when he played both male and female parts in the Hindu epic...
) his landlord, who uses unorthodox methods of training, such as using a spatula to spank him. Days before the race, Whit proposes to Libby at her birthday party. Libby accepts and this puts Dennis in a state of depression. Meanwhile, Jake, who has formed a crush on a girl in his class, runs away angry when he discovers that she prefers another boy just because he has a ponytail. Dennis, upon being informed by a frightened Libby, tracks him down and explains to him that he will find many things he does not like in his life and he should just stand up to them and face them, rather than running away, having made that mistake himself, so he decides to race.
Dennis starts the race alongside Whit, who informs Dennis that he intends to move Libby and Jake to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Angered, Dennis insults Whit and they tussle for a while at the start of the race and, in their efforts to out-do each other, they catch up to and then overtake the professional runners, and suddenly Whit trips Dennis and badly injures him. Stretchers prepare to take Dennis to the hospital. Whit continues, but is taken to the hospital after feeling ill and feeling pain in his leg. Libby goes to the hospital to find Dennis, but only finds Whit, who claims loudly that his injuries are the result of Dennis deliberately tripping him. The doctor tells him he is not actually injured and has only "hit the wall". Whit, in a fit of anger, calls Jake a "little shit" because Jake played with Whit's hospital bed, to Libby's horror.
Dennis has in fact refused to be transported to the hospital or even get medical attention and is continuing the race well into the afternoon and evening with a sprained ankle, accompanied by a growing group of supporters, including Gordon and Mr. Ghoshdastidar. An exhausted Dennis almost "hits the wall" but after an emotional inner struggle, his resolve to complete the race is restored. Later at Whit's house, Libby, Jake and Whit, watch a television replay of the Whit/Dennis tussle, as the replay shows that in fact Whit had deliberately tripped Dennis up and had fallen over because he had gotten tangled up with Dennis as he was falling. As Whit tries to justify his behavior, he blurts out his intentions to have Libby and Jake move to Chicago with him. A furious Libby puts the engagement ring on a table, telling Whit "nobody's perfect" and storms out with Jake, who says "What a shithead". The two go to meet Dennis as he arrives at the finish line. Dennis falls over just metres from the finish line and cannot get up until he sees Libby and Jake calling to him at which point he gets up, sprints to the finish and collapses in their arms.
What appears to be several weeks later, notably slimmer Dennis comes by Libby's house to pick up Jake. He says that he has something to ask her, but is interrupted by Jake, and says he'll talk to her later. However, just after she shuts the door, he knocks again and asks her out.
In the film's postscript, Gordon — on the bridge of a new yacht — tells the tale of the race to two attractive bikini-clad women, whom he invites aboard for a drink.
The camera then pans to reveal to the audience that he isn't wearing any pants.
Cast
- Simon PeggSimon PeggSimon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
as Dennis Doyle - Thandie NewtonThandie NewtonThandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
as Libby Odell - Hank AzariaHank AzariaHenry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
as Whit - Dylan MoranDylan MoranDylan Moran is an Irish stand-up comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his sardonic observational comedy, the UK television sitcom Black Books , and his work with Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run...
as Gordon - Harish PatelHarish PatelHarish is an Indian actor. He has a relative called Himesh Patel, he is Tamwar in EastEnders. Although mainly associated with the stage, he has also appeared in comedy films and on television. He began performing at the age of seven, when he played both male and female parts in the Hindu epic...
as Mr. Goshdashtidar - India de BeaufortIndia de BeaufortIndia de Beaufort is an English actress and singer/songwriter from London whose appearances include roles in Basil Brush and Run Fatboy Run. She played Aneka, a pagan warrior maiden, in the 2009 series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire...
as Maya Goshdashtidar - Matthew Fenton as Jake
- Simon DaySimon DaySimon Day is a British comedian most famous for his roles in the sketch show The Fast Show, sitcom Grass and a series of comedic adverts for Powergen.-Life and career:...
as Vincent - Ruth SheenRuth SheenRuth Sheen is an English actress.Born in London, Sheen began her career by training at the East 15 Acting School, and has appeared regularly on British television and in British films since 1988. On television, she had recurring roles as Nanny Simmons in Berkeley Square , and as Nurse Ethel Carr...
as Claudine - Tyrone Huggins as Grover
- Nevan Finegan as Mickey
- Iddo GoldbergIddo GoldbergIddo Goldberg is an English-Israeli actor.Goldberg was born in Haifa, Israel. He has had several notable roles, including playing Ben on the television show Secret Diary of a Call Girl. He also appeared in the 2008 war film Defiance, starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber.-Actor:-External links:...
as News reporter - Floella BenjaminFloella BenjaminFloella Karen Yunies Benjamin, Baroness Benjamin OBE DL is a British actress, author, television presenter, businesswoman and politician...
as Libby's mother - Chris HollinsChris HollinsChris Hollins is an English journalist, presenter and sportsman, currently employed by the BBC and best known for being the sports correspondent for BBC Breakfast, and for winning Strictly Come Dancing 2009.-Early life:...
as Sports reporter - Peter SerafinowiczPeter SerafinowiczPeter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
as Sports commentator - Denise LewisDenise LewisDenise Lewis OBE is a retired British athlete who specialised in the heptathlon. She won the gold medal in the heptathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.-2000 Olympics:...
as British athlete - Stephen MerchantStephen MerchantStephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
as Man in suit at bottom of stairs hit by falling wheelchair - David WalliamsDavid WalliamsDavid Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
(cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
) as Customer in Libby's shop - Michael JohnsonMichael Johnson (athlete)Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
(cameo) as Marathon runner - Bill BaileyBill BaileyBill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
(cameo) as Man dressed as Gandalf
Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics; review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 48% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 142 reviews. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 27 reviews.
Box office performance
The film topped the UK box officeBox office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
in its opening week and remained at the top of the chart for four weeks. To date it has earned over £10.5 million. On its opening weekend, it grossed about $US2.3 million. As of May 1, 2008, the film has grossed $US34,986,194.
Home media
The DVD was released on 18 February 2008 in the United Kingdom. It was also released simultaneously on the HD DVDHD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
and Blu-Ray formats.