Run, Fat Boy, RunMovie Reviews

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Avg. Critic Score: 48 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
13 Iffy for 13+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Ruthe Stein

    Filled with moments that will make you smile. Read full review

  • 75
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Amiable, consistently amusing and surprisingly affecting, it has the flavor of a Nick Hornby novel, with its focus on an overgrown boy struggling to grow up and be a man. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Dennis Harvey

    David Schwimmer's first bigscreen directing effort reveals something very different: a thoroughly competent mainstream craftsman who imposes no individual character on formulaic material. Read full review

  • 63
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    Run, Fat Boy, Run stays out of sitcom quicksand long enough to make you think that Schwimmer has a knack for this comedy-directing thing. Read full review

  • 60
    The New York Times |

    The kind of movie that's apt to be dismissed a goofy lark. It is that. But it's also a rare comedy that believes in its own message, and that could inspire the depressed and the demoralized to grit their teeth and keep running. Read full review

  • 60
    The Hollywood Reporter |

    The pic benefits from a loveable-loser turn by Simon Pegg, but the "Shaun of the Dead" star's presence may also lead to disappointment for those familiar with his work. Read full review

  • 50
    Los Angeles Times | Gene Seymour

    Snarkiness and sentiment are in constant battle for supremacy throughout Run, Fat Boy, Run with no chance of a comfortable draw. Read full review

  • 40
    Washington Post | Desson Thomson

    Rather like the faltering way Dennis runs the race, Pegg the performer insists that we keep watching, ever hopeful for a decent gag. And we spend most of our time thinking back to movies that better showcased his talents, such as "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz." Read full review

  • 25
    Boston Globe | Wesley Morris

    Might as well have been written by a rushed piece of software. The program calls for a surprise engagement, a street fight complete with crotch punches, an apartment eviction, and a runaway child - all in about five minutes. As an obstacle course, this is mighty efficient. As comic storytelling, it's painful, not too far from being socked in the crotch. Read full review

  • 25
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    Simon Pegg has what it takes, but he's saddled himself with a script (co-written by Pegg and Michael Ian Black) that Adam Sandler wouldn't have pulled out of his bottom drawer. Read full review

View more reviews for Run, Fat Boy, Run on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 13+ Brit romcom mixes laughs with swearing, smoking.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this amusing (if not particularly inventive) British romantic comedy includes a fair amount of swearing (though no words stronger than "s--t" and "pr--k") -- some in front of/directed at children. One kid even gives a grown-up the finger. There's also some random partial nudity -- one character likes to walk around naked below the waist, though viewers only see his backside -- and a fair amount of smoking and drinking (mostly in social situations). The lead character goes through a positive transformation, becoming more self reliant and turning himself into a better person.
  • Families can talk about the appeal of "ugly duckling" stories. Why are filmmakers -- and audiences -- so drawn to them? What sets this movie apart from others in the genre? How is this type of story represented elsewhere in the media? Why is the concept of the "makeover" so irresistible? Families can also discuss Dennis' behavior. If you were Libby, would you give him another chance? What motivates him to run the marathon? Is he really more palatable than Whit in the end? If so, why?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: A man will stop at nothing to demean his girlfriend's former fiancé; he also swears at her child. Another character abandons his pregnant fiancée, though he regrets it later and appears to be a good father to their child. A gambler never seems to be able to pay his debts. Dennis, the lead character, undergoes a transformation, becoming less irresponsible and more self reliant/grown up in the end. All in all, most characters are warm and caring, despite some iffy decisions/actions.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence: A fistfight between friends turns ugly when they start hitting each other with garbage can lids and kicking each other in the groin; a character trips up another on purpose, causing injury; another character, who's fond of gambling, is threatened by the people he owes money to (they nearly crush him with a piano).
  • sex false3 Sex: Some kissing; in a locker room scene, one man stands naked in front of another, who's uncomfortable with the proximity; a character likes to stand around without pants on (his backside is shown); some references to "jumping on the bed."
  • language false3 Language: Language includes several uses of "s--t," as well as "pr--k," "hell," and "goddammit." A child uses the word "s--thead," and another kid gives a grown up the finger. An adult curses at a child in a moment of frustration.
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: The big marathon is sponsored by Nike, and on the day of the race, the swoosh logo is everywhere -- it almost feels like an ad. Some signage for bakeries and London cabs; a mention of Rolex and Channel 7.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Dennis smokes like a chimney (though he tries to quit while training); he also enjoys beer and is shown walking the streets of London drunk. Some social drinking, including parties and at bars.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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