Jillian Bell has been stealing scenes as a bit character since her turn as the acid-tongued roommate in "22 Jump Street." Now finally receiving her chance to shine in a starring role, she brings the same energy and proves herself more than capable of leading a movie.
Bell plays the titular character, Brittany, who has a weight problem. But that's far from the most significant problem she faces in her life. Her other issues are far heavier and more complicated. Brittany doesn't like herself. She glances at the mirror, doesn't like what she sees, and equates that image to her self-worth, which leads to her making hapless life decisions, including choosing the worst type of relationships. Her skinny roommate treats her like a lower lifeform, and all the men Brittany meets behave even worse.
To address her weight issue, she takes up running around the city streets of New York after realizing she is too broke to afford the absurdly high city gym prices. Her first run plays out like a scene in Vertigo, as she is terrified to step outside her apartment building but eventually jostles toward the corner of her seemingly endless street, striving to run just one block. As her bravery and stamina increase, Brittany dares to join a running group with her upstairs neighbor and experienced runner, Catherine. There she meets fellow jogging struggle buddy, Seth, and the three of them form a friendship.
Brittany started running to tackle her weight problem without realizing that she was also helping cure her other issues as well. By spending time with people who treat her with decency - "they're called friends" - as one character points out, Brittany's self-esteem slowly grows. She even meets a nice guy, who she claims she will "never date." You can probably guess what happens.
Sure, running the marathon is an amazing accomplishment, but learning to value herself has a much more significant impact on her life.
I give the filmmakers credit for avoiding the sappy, manipulative story the movie easily could have become. Instead, the movie remains consistently respectful of the audience's intelligence, at times even sprinkling in semi-subtle commentary on the destructive force of social media.
Ultimately the movie manages to be inspiring in a believable way that is completely unforced. Give a lot of credit to Bell and writer/director Paul Downs Colaizzo on this one. They make Brittany a character worth rooting for and her journey a compelling one.
Bell plays the titular character, Brittany, who has a weight problem. But that's far from the most significant problem she faces in her life. Her other issues are far heavier and more complicated. Brittany doesn't like herself. She glances at the mirror, doesn't like what she sees, and equates that image to her self-worth, which leads to her making hapless life decisions, including choosing the worst type of relationships. Her skinny roommate treats her like a lower lifeform, and all the men Brittany meets behave even worse.
To address her weight issue, she takes up running around the city streets of New York after realizing she is too broke to afford the absurdly high city gym prices. Her first run plays out like a scene in Vertigo, as she is terrified to step outside her apartment building but eventually jostles toward the corner of her seemingly endless street, striving to run just one block. As her bravery and stamina increase, Brittany dares to join a running group with her upstairs neighbor and experienced runner, Catherine. There she meets fellow jogging struggle buddy, Seth, and the three of them form a friendship.
Brittany started running to tackle her weight problem without realizing that she was also helping cure her other issues as well. By spending time with people who treat her with decency - "they're called friends" - as one character points out, Brittany's self-esteem slowly grows. She even meets a nice guy, who she claims she will "never date." You can probably guess what happens.
Sure, running the marathon is an amazing accomplishment, but learning to value herself has a much more significant impact on her life.
I give the filmmakers credit for avoiding the sappy, manipulative story the movie easily could have become. Instead, the movie remains consistently respectful of the audience's intelligence, at times even sprinkling in semi-subtle commentary on the destructive force of social media.
Ultimately the movie manages to be inspiring in a believable way that is completely unforced. Give a lot of credit to Bell and writer/director Paul Downs Colaizzo on this one. They make Brittany a character worth rooting for and her journey a compelling one.