Director
Paul Downs Colaizzo

Starring
Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Micah Stock and Utkarsh Ambudkar

Based on a true story, Brittany Runs a Marathon is the story of an uninspired, overweight, twenty-something who after a wake-up call from her GP decides to get in shape and enter the New York City Marathon.  Through her change of direction, Brittany finds allies in unlikely places and sees the narcissistic behaviors of some of those close to her for what they really are.

Jillian Bell was an inspired choice to play the titular role of Brittany. While Bell has definitely displayed her comedic-acting chops in numerous supporting roles over the years (most notably in 22 Jump Street and Rough Night), this is not only her first leading role, but also one of the few that has blended that comedic prowess with more nuanced, dramatic demands.  Whilst Brittany Runs a Marathon starts out as a hilarious romp, as the film settles it certainly explores more serious issue of how people relate to one another based on what they see on the surface, and the perceptions they take from that. Bell exceeds at blending the two elements of the film and shows why she needs to be the lead in a lot more films.

There are some tremendous supporting characters in the film which add an unexpected layer of depth. In particular; the artist neighbor (Michaela Watkins) who appears to have it all but is struggling with life just like everyone else, and the gay Dad (Micah Stock) who wants to prove to his son that he can be ‘sporty’ are both subtle but meaningful to the story.

At times the story can seem a little formulaic, but there’s enough newness here to make it stand out on its own. With a good blend of comedy, emotion and warmth and the relatability of many of the central themes, it’s a film should appeal to a broad audience.

Brittany Runs a Marathon is in cinemas nationally from today (October 31^st) and will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 15^th.

3.5 Stars

Moviedoc thanks Transmission Films for the opportunity to review this film.

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