Pegg Goes Solo

Run, Fatboy, Run - 3/5

After the comic brilliance of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg leaves his usual partners Edgar Wright and Nick Frost to re-team with friends David Schwimmer, with whom he starred in the hit and miss The Big Nothing last year. This time Schwimmer is on directorial duties and does a solid if not spectacular job with this decidedly brit-com effort.

Pegg plays Dennis who leaves a pregnant Thandie Newton at the altar on their wedding day. Five years later, he decides to try and win her back - the problem being that she is now seeing the rich, handsome, marathon-running Hank Azaria. The solution to run a a marathon and win her back. The plot is utterly predictable as Azaria proves himself more of a bastard as the movie progresses - there's little doubt how this will end up. Unfortunately, some of the humour is just as predictable - the shock of old people and kids swearing ceased to be funny or original a while ago.

But it does have a few inspired moments - a nice take on the Rocky-style training montage and some really funny lines, largely delivered by Dylan Moran who enlivens proceeding considerably whenever he's on screen (although there are a few too many shots of his bare backside). He forms a great double act with Pegg, who is his usual watchable self. The movie is however all but stolen by Harish Patel's performance as Dennis' landlord and coach, who whilst bordering on stereotype, has enough about him to totally win over the audience. Also watch out for an entertaining cameo from Little BRitain's David Walliams.

There's funny here to raise a few laughs and keep you smiling, although unfortunately it rather limps across the finish line with a predictable final act.