Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) review - Movie Thoughts (Chapter 1) 👟
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| Source: IMDB |
An endearing take
on a true story, this film is a marathon where you feel every emotional step.
It doesn’t sugarcoat much, and there are genuine moments where we fear, as
Brittany does, whether she is going to make it to the finish line. Director and
writer Paul Downs Colaizzo envelops the audience in the very relatable day to
day life of Brittany (Jillian Bell) as she reassesses her life after receiving
some difficult news at the doctor. Taking up running and eventually aiming to
run the New York Marathon, it becomes clear quite quickly that Brittany’s
journey is about more than just losing weight.
Brittany is
like most 20-something’s; partying and drinking up a storm whilst not really
knowing where her life is headed and the film sets the audience up as a ‘fly on
the wall’, following her around as she envisions to turn her life and her attitude
around. This is a movie, so it could have been cheesy, clique and somewhat simple in
the development to reach the happy ending in 90 minutes, but Downs Colaizzo doesn’t
shy away from pointing out that the shift Brittany is going through is bloody difficult.
Much of the second act is spent focusing on her struggles and regressing back into
old habits after making initial progress. Together with Brittany, you’re
sitting in it and dealing with the doubts second-hand. It is illustrated so
well that these kinds of big lifestyle changes are not overnight successes, or easy,
or without having to make sacrifices in life. Cutting out toxic people who aren’t
willing to be supportive, giving yourself the space to screw up and have setbacks,
leaning on those people whose supportive you need to get through the hard moments
to those moments of laughter, hope and success, and even letting go of our judgements
about where other people are at in their own journeys. There are moments where
you want to scream at Brittany, and that’s understandable because you feel like
the friend whose watching and can see all the things she can’t because she’s
living in it. The pacing of the plot allows for a depth of empathy both for Brittany,
and the other people who she comes to rely on, that feels very normal and
unlike a typical character/audience relationship. Downs Colaizzo’s screenplay takes
you on this complex emotional rollercoaster with a happy ending that hits an
unexpected sentimental note, but there is an added layer of raw vulnerability woven
in that fully triggers the tears at times.
This is also helped
by the brilliant performances from the cast, and in particular Jillian Bell as protagonist
Brittany. There’s a flawed complexity around the way Bell portrays her that is
quite disarming and honest. She has beautifully vulnerable moments of self-growth,
and the funny banter moments with Bell’s great comedic timing offer a balanced
and likeable performance that makes you root for Brittany. Seth (Micah Stock),
Jurn (Utkarsh Ambudkar), Catherine (Michaela Watkins) and father figure
Demetrius (Lil Rel Howery) were all excellent and interesting characters, with earnest
performances that gave the film such an uplifting tone.
Playwright
Downs Colaizzo’s debut feature direction and script were brilliant in telling this
story with witty,
yet subtle characterisation and an intent to feel normal and real. The winner
of an audience award at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, it hits that perfect balance
between comedy and raw vulnerability that people can relate to on a human
level. Thematically motivational and inherently inspirational, the soul of the
film is in how it dissects our attitudes to things like weight, attitude and
what we include on our lists for success and happiness. Although it starts out
focusing on weight (and Brittany is somewhat close-minded about the whole situation)
and unhealthy eating/drinking, the focus quickly moves onto a more complex attitude
of how losing weight is more about a whole lifestyle and attitude shift,
instead of a tunnel-vision style fixation on numbers on a scale.
Brittany Runs
a Marathon packs a punch and reaches straight out to your soul. Whilst
potentially formulaic and bland on paper, it earns a unique and profound emotional character
with every beat. Squeezing your heart with plenty of raw emotion and a journey
you can invest in, it’s a clever reminder that life changes feel a lot like
running a marathon.
8.5/10, 4 STARS
