★★★★
A young woman decides to make positive changes in her life by training for the New York City Marathon.
Classification: 15
Focusing on themes on self-improvement versus self-destruction, Paul Downs Colaizzo's directorial debut is less of a mean spirited comedy about an obese character struggling to lose weight but an inspiring tale on how to better oneself. Colaizzo's script succeeds due to Jillian Bell's engrossing performance creating a flawed, insecure character who serves as an uncomfortable mirror image for the audience. Her unhealthy lifestyle goes far beyond any weight issues, it's self-loathing and destructive behaviour fueled by drunken partying as the character tries to drink away the pain. It has left the titular Brittany with a depressed, acerbic outlook on her life which she hides from through more sarcasm and partying. Her career and social life have collapsed around her but she still has a few cheerleaders, such as scene-stealing Lil Rel Howery as Demetrius, Britanny's supportive brother-in-law who she sees as a father figure. Even with these few encouragements Brittany still rejects others out of shame and pity but it isn't until a doctor informs her weight has reached a critical unhealthy point and that she must make a change.
It's not a film filled with Farrelly brother style fat jokes, in fact, it is Brittany who is her harshest critic continuously making disparaging remarks about herself and her body image. Brittany Runs a Marathon creates its conflict from the character's own negative outlook on her own life and forcing herself to reckon with what makes her feel terrible. Jillian Bell's performance is the bedrock of the film as Colaizzo puts the character through surprising gauntlets but Bell always keeps the character engaging, not afraid to show the uglier sides to her personality. Even when the character is at her lowest and most cruel, there is still a deep empathy for her, some audiences may not directly relate the lowest depths of Brittany's pain but for those that can, this emotionally ugly journey can be quite an inspirational one.
Having this character tear away from her old life and build a new one, its both an emotionally transformative performance but a physical one as slowly Bell's makeup fades into her more athletic form. The New York Marathon becomes this crucible for Brittany to conquer, a character who starts by struggling to just run around her block once at the beginning of her campaign for weight loss. Running becomes Brittany's only focus and only outlet, it allows her to make new friends and explore new relationships but the film doesn't say that exercise is the key to get better. Brittany's new routines don't make her emotionally healthy, it's definitely a start but Brittany Runs a Marathon is great in showing that self-betterment is not some A to B process brought upon by some brief cardio. We've all been there, the New Years resolution, the depressed harsh look in the mirror of your gut that makes you do a few push-ups before work, that idea of doing it once will be enough. Colaizzo makes the film about the struggle but instead of having the film be endless montages of Jillian Bell running in various stages of graceless pain, his script imbues the struggle in how Brittany's inspiring efforts to become better affect the characters. This acknowledgement of her progress forcing the character to begin another spiral of self-doubt and isolating herself from those that care about her.
The supporting cast does well, all filing in predictable roles in Brittany's life, roommate, neighbour, gay best friend but its Utkarsh Ambudkar as deadbeat squatter/love interest Jern that stands out from the crop. Brittany in her quest of self-improvement is able to get a dog sitting job where she meets Jern, a fellow house sitter who has moved into the luxury townhouse they both work at. It's a romantic subplot that doesn't stem from Jern seeing the "inner beauty" of Brittany but more from two flawed individuals discovering more about themselves through emotionally charged encounters as the two characters constantly argue over their lifestyles. Brittany's attraction to Jern comes more from her own self-confidence from losing enough weight to be seen as conventionally attractive and wants to be seen and appreciated as a sexually active person. Everything eventually ties back into Brittany's insecurities and creates tension with her fling with Jern but Ambudkar is an excellent scene partner with Bell delivering great scenes of comedy and romantic drama.
It's a film that doesn't shy away from teaching its lessons about the importance of letting people in. Brittany's "do it herself" attitude does inspire those around her to seek new ways of living but when the character's insecurities continue to eat away at her having her push herself to a physical and emotional breaking point, something has gone wrong. Brittany Runs a Marathon can feel like it goes on longer than it should but Paul Downs Colaizzo really uses his time to have this story show the harsh truths in taking responsibility for your own well being. Jillian Bell makes Brittany a difficult character to root for because of the complexities in what makes the character comedic and dramatic but its that complexity that has the film run away from the typical comedy-dramas. It is easy to see a far more cynical, low brow comedy driven farce of this story that puts too much emphasis on weight and disgusting exercise so the fact this film gets to explore the unseemly realities to Brittany's anxieties is deserving of kudos and attention.
Director: #PaulDownsColaizzo
Release Date: November 1st 2019
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
コメント