Brittany Runs a Marathon
Brittany (Jillian Bell) is jogging in place, metaphorically. While her friends are flourishing with families and careers, Brittany still parties every night and works the same dead-end job she’s had for years. It’s not the life she wants, but it’s the life she thinks she deserves.
Brittany is the “funny friend,” her roommate and pals’ code for fat. The label shapes her whole sense of worth. Men don’t want relationships with her, so she settles for dark liaisons in clubs with jerks who don’t want to be seen outside with her. She makes a habit of joking and affects a ridiculous British accent when she thinks she’s being criticized.
Everyone knows Brittany is good for a laugh, but Brittany doesn’t believe she’s good for much else. When her doctor tells her she needs to lose 50 pounds or risk a host of medical problems, she’s shocked that she can’t joke her way out of the news.
So she tries to get in shape. Starting out barely able to run a block, she sets small goals and accomplishes them. She joins a jogging group, bonds with fellow slow runner Seth (Micah Stock) and draws inspiration from marathon veteran Catherine (Michaela Watkins). Before long, she’s setting more ambitious goals and signing up for a 5K.
As Brittany feels more confident, she’s looking better and makes better choices. But her friends aren’t so sure about the new Brittany once their funny friend is less available for reassurance and a laugh. They mock her running and minimize her accomplishments.
This heartfelt, keenly observed comedy about how hard it is to be the funny friend is based on a true story. Director Paul Downs Colaizzo’s stunning feature debut explores the nuances of how we talk ourselves into staying in the same cycles, and how hard it is to make a lasting change. The ending of the film isn’t a surprise; it’s right there in the title. But the journey to the finish line is the point.
The script does not link all Brittany’s problems on her weight. Colaizzo does an excellent job analyzing the seething self-hatred that causes her spiral. She’s not always a likeable hero, but she feels real.
Bell offers a career-best performance as Brittany. She’s funny and plucky but not afraid to show the unlikeable bits. Brittany is almost as ashamed of her depression as of her weight. When people get close to seeing the misery under her carefully crafted exterior, she panics and reacts terribly. She can be unforgivably cruel to others, but she’s cruelest to herself. It’s a nasty cycle that can’t be broken through running alone.
If you’ve ever struggled with making a big life change, Brittany Runs a Marathon will ring true. Brittany stumbles, but ultimately she keeps running. It’s an inspiring story of learning to value yourself and making changes that will make you a better person, not a smaller size. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself planning a run in the near future.
Great Comedy • R • 104 mins.
~~~ New this Week ~~~
Ad Astra
On a mission to save humanity, Roy McBride’s (Brad Pitt) father was lost in space, never to be heard from again.
Roy follows in his father’s footsteps, becoming a decorated astronaut. When a disaster strikes, he gets a new mission. It seems his father is alive and back in the solar system. Roy is tasked with finding his father and discovering the truth about his disappearance.
Space movies with Tommy Lee Jones and Donald Sutherland haven’t been anything to crow about. But this isn’t Space Cowboys. Ad Astra is more pensive, examining themes of humanity and loss. Pitt works best with strong directors, so much depends on James Gray’s ability to keep his leading man focused.
Don’t expect a light space adventure. But if you love films like 2001: A Space Odyssey or Interstellar, this flick should be a captivating watch.
Prospects: Bright • PG-13 • 122 mins.
Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey modernizes as the Crawleys venture further into the 20th century. But the family is thrown for a loop at the news that the king and queen will visit. Can the staff and family come together for a scandal-free occasion? Or will their intrigues bring shame to the Crawley name?
Proof that if you slap a British accent on it and trot out Maggie Smith to offer sardonic glares, Americans will applaud bad writing, Downton Abbey continues to enjoy its undeserved acclaim. If you’re a fan of the soapy show, it should be fun to watch the continuing adventures of the upper crust and the servants who inexplicably adore them. If you’re looking for characters that feel like people or commentary on history or social classes, look elsewhere.
Prospects: Dim • PG • 90 mins.
Rambo: Last Blood
Embattled veteran John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) comes back to the family ranch, hoping to find peace. When his niece is kidnapped and trafficked by a cartel, Rambo must wage war one last time.
Has Rambo’s killer instinct dulled with age?
First Blood is an excellent movie about a fragile Vietnam soldier persecuted into a bloodbath. All subsequent entries in the Rambo franchise are shallow collections of gore and explosions. This one should follow in the dire trajectory.
Prospects: Dim • R • 89 mins.