What is with this ongoing trend of skinny actors playing fat folks in movies? Some of these portly adventures make decent bank at the box office, but slim-to-none are worth watching (see Shallow Hal, Big Momma’s House, and any movie starring “Madea” for proof). Regardless, Hollywood isn’t ready to lock up its closet full of fat suits just yet.
According to Hollywood Reporter, skinny British star Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) will pork out for the romantic comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run. He will star as a charming but oblivious overweight guy, who abandons his fiancée on their wedding day and then realizes years later that he still loves her. To try and win her back, he must finish a marathon while making her realize that her handsome, wealthy fiancée is the wrong guy for her.
Call me crazy, but isn’t this premise just a tad too mean-spirited to laugh at? Even if the leading man is fat (not funny), he ditches his girlfriend at the altar (not funny) and then comes back to try and sabotage her new relationship (still not funny). The only remotely entertaining bit of news is that “Friends” star David Schwimmer is making his directorial debut on this strange project. The screenplay has been written by Michael Ian Black, a comedian who frequently appears on "Best Week Ever."
Ready or not, the film starts shooting next month in the U.K.
