Writer/director Paul Downs Calaizzo uses a real life experience with a friend to shun cliches in examining self-worth from an aspect of body positivity. In an ebullient style that emphasizes subtlety of perception at last what is likely not difficult to forecast.
His Big-Apple set Brittany Runs a Marathon may be considered an art house variant on the Amy Schumer – starrer “I Feel Pretty” through having an ominous intensity to go along with the wryness. Even if this pretty efficient comedy gets diffuse for a while around the midpoint when a change of scenery involving housesitting occurs; and, if sentiment outlays raucous activity later on.
Jillian Bell (Rough Night, 22 Jump Street) has been working her way up the ladder like the more in demand Schumer and Melissa McCarthy (as both we’re in Bridesmaids with Bell much less noticeable) had. The comedienne and actress (as well as scribe) take the eponymous (nearing 30 years) choleric off-Broadway usher masking her problems with humor and makes it her Owen obsession coping with much haranguing.
An often uninhibited lifestyle leads to a physician relating of BMI of over 30 her which gives her pause to realize how she’s been viewed by the opposite sex and an unenviable economic status. It’s about one city block at a time to start moving to increase her endurance. Her BFF and roomie (Alice Lee) is skeptical as she starts to abstain from junk food and alcohol.
Catherine (Michaela Watkins) is a neighborly jogging nut she befriends, as well as fellow tyro Seth (Micah Stock) with his own reasons to shape up; their goal is to steadily prepare for the annual autumn city race meeting the qualifying standards. A mischievous, likable Jern (Utkarsh Ambudkar) is welcome, if challenging presence in Brittany’s Professional transitioning, as well as personal. A pragmatic brother-in-law (Lil Rey Howery) provides choice moments opposite someone on the verge of her awareness, unbeknownst of her captious judgments.
The filmmaking is clear-minded in the nuances of probing identity in not getting lost in the physical goals at hand; a moment of plaintive probity hinges on diffidence delivering an affront. You can see the foreboding interloping when it comes to a tightrope of grace and good example. The writing doesn’t abandon the backing for its protagonist and others whose self-mockery comes during pressing times.
Colaizzo’s understanding if a standard drained manifests in the way Brittany Runs has a sincerely not just around notions of shaming and throwing caution to the wind. This includes facets like workplace bias and social media. Bee handles her boss’ demands with poise in he first leading role making A Marathon more weighty than expected.