TheRandomForest.com

US Release: March 28, 2008
Director: David Schwimmer
Writer(s): Michael Ian Black, Simon Pegg
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Starring: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria

Synopsis:

Five years after Dennis jilted a pregnant Libby on their wedding day, Dennis is suffering the repercussions of not marrying his one true love and is trying to be a respectable father to his son Jake (Matthew Fenton). Life for him is monotonous. Working as a security guard in a small fashion store and living in a basement bedsit of a house owned by Mr. Ghoshdashtidar (Harish Patel).

When Dennis finds out that Libby has started seeing a charming, successful American guy by the name of Whit (Hank Azaria) and even Jake starts taking a liking to him, Dennis is left feeling down and out. After various failed attempts to win his son’s full respect back and grab Libby’s attention, Dennis finds himself entering into a London Marathon Run to prove himself as good as Whit.

Backed by his trainers Mr. Ghoshdashtidar and his gambling, chain smoking friend Gordon (Dylan Moran), Dennis starts on the arduous three week journey to win over his belly, whit and the heart of Libby. Obviously not without setbacks.

What did I think?

I am a huge fan of Simon Pegg. Spaced, his channel 4 sitcom remains one of the funniest TV shows ever made and his first attempts at movie making (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) are monumental comedic masterpieces.

So what went wrong here? Although Pegg and Black have managed to pen many funny lines into this film the overall plot is too standard and you end up knowing the ending before it happens. Any surprises are wasted as you really do not care that much. At times lines feel forced and part of me considered not seeing this film through to the end.

Maybe I was expecting another twisted ride like Hot Fuzz but all I got was a perfect Saturday afternoon family lovey, dovey comedy. I could imagine it showing just after The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie or Lassie. It is the kind of cinema your Nan would recommend. It’s no surprise that the helm of this film was controlled by the big smiley dork from friends and it has you wondering. Did he actually do any acting in his career or is he really that much of a big bumbling piano key toothed tool box?

So I guess you get the drift, I was hugely disappointed.

After all my ranting I am going to go back on my cute hating and say that the best character and indeed some of the best lines came from Jake. The wit of a five year olds mind was nicely captured. When he mentions that a girl at school looks like a tree frog and his dad says “that’s not a very nice”. He responds by saying that he likes tree frogs, it almost had me crying a tear out of admiration for his cuteness.

Gordon is a close second for one liners and comedic value. At one point we see him and Dennis flail around on the floor like dolphins trying to have a boxing match, in a homage to the Firth and Grant fight of Bridget Jones diary. He is motivated by the fact that he bets all his money on Dennis completing the race and has to embark on some far out motivation tactics.

Final thought: Funny in places but too safe. Pegg’s partnership with Edgar Wright is sorely missed.

Go see this movie if….

You like being disappointed by bad films;
You are a Simon Pegg geek and you won’t be able to live with yourself if you don’t see everything he has ever been a part of;
You like paying attention to the texture of each piece of popcorn;
Or you think I am an arrogant fool with a bad review style .

If you have seen this, please let me know what you thought.

Have a good day.

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