#22 jump street

sagihairius:

Race for life

After impressive, scene-stealing supporting roles in films like 22 Jump Street andGoosebumps, it was only a matter of time before Jillian Bell’s knack for comic timing landed her a leading role of her own. And, despite its underwhelming title, the main character of Brittany Runs a Marathon is a perfect fit for Bell’s talents - a funny, self-loathing heroine whose personal journey provides both comedy, and a surprisingly touching slice of drama.

From first-time writer-director Paul Downs Colaizzo, whose real-life roommate inspired the story, the film follows Brittany (Bell), a twenty-something New Yorker whose unhealthy lifestyle - constant partying and adderall abuse - seem borne out of issues of self-confidence. Yet, when a new doctor informs her that she’s overweight, she takes the step (or rather, steps) to lose a couple of pounds, and get her life back on track.

After a very relatable sequence where Brittany berates a gym instructor for the sky-high prices that gym’s charge - ‘you do know that people can just go outside for free, right?’ - she makes the daunting decision to go on daily runs, which are hilariously filmed with the sense of menace you would get from a horror movie. Setting herself the goal of the New York City Marathon, Brittany’s race to fitness, and ultimately happiness, is replete with inevitable setbacks and moments of self-doubt. Throughout this, Downs Colaizzo laces the film with humour and warmth, and is all the better for encouraging you to see multiple sides to the characters who punctuate Brittany’s journey. Michaela Watkins impresses as a well-off, seemingly frosty fellow runner whose life isn’t as perfect as it seems, while Utkarsh Ambudkar’s man-child proves a surprisingly endearing and believable love interest.

If the film does stumble on the way to the finish line, it’s in a rushed final act that slightly overplays its message about the value of self-love and supportive friendships, and ends with a running sequence that feels like it lasts the length of an actual marathon. Yet, while the end destination isn’t particularly strong, the writing and Bell’s warm performance at least make the journey worthwhile. Brittany is a character that makes a lot of frustrating decisions, often at the expense of people who care about her, but Bell, who spends much of the movie in prosthetics, draws self-deprecating humour and empathy from her character’s experiences, demonstrating a dramatic range that few films have allowed her to show. Testament to Bell, you genuinely hope that Brittany will overcome the barriers in her way, whether it’s a horribly self-centred roommate, or a mouth-watering burger meal.

It gets slightly overbearing at the end, but this is a funny, moving and uplifting film about the importance of keeping your head up in the face of hardship, with a star-making performance from Bell.

★★★