Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019)

I was cautious going into Brittany Runs a Marathon, a film which sells itself as an inspiring story of a "fat" woman who "improves" herself through exercise. Yeah it's a pretty problematic plot line. These sorts of things tend to end up fat shaming the characters we're supposed to love despite their size, and celebrate them as they shed the pounds. The trailer fell into all the typical jokes and patterns we would expect from this sort of thing. But it also centres on Jillian Bell who is hilarious and magnetic to watch, so I hoped the film wouldn't be as troublesome as it suggests.

And it wasn't. From the get go Brittany Runs a Marathon is a much darker, complicated, and nuanced film than the trailers make out. It's adult and smart and tackles the very problem I laid out with sophistication. Brittany's problem isn't her size or her looks, it is something more devious than that and the film handles it all in ways that are both clever and affirming... and funny. Without spoiling the film I can say the film starts out with her feeling she needs to loose weight. But it quickly comes to her that she needs to let go of why she thinks she needs to loose weight. It needs to be about something else.

Bell is the star of this show and she delivers on all counts. She does a very good job on the dramatic elements, making her Brittany feel completely authentic. And she is as funny and entertaining as she always is. Her interpersonal relationships with those in her life feel real and inspired. There are a few moments where the film feels like it rushes some plot elements, for example her romance transitions from annoyance to friendship to sexual feelings fairly quickly. This is likely more a product of the film's run time than the script itself. Her chemistry with her supporting cast is top notch.

Sure Brittany Runs a Marathon hits all the notes one would expect in a film like this but it does so with style and grace, and by exploring the themes a bit deeper. There is a moment with a side character which is extremely moving where forgiveness is given which touches on so much of what the Brittany in all of us is struggling with.

So Brittany is a little guilt free indulgence, a sentimental journey which crosses the finish line.

Brittany Runs a Marathon
Starring: Jillian Bell, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Michaela Watkins, Lil Ray Howery, Micah Stock
Writer/Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo