“It’s starting to feel as if everyone’s lives are going places and mine is sort of stuck,” Brittany tells Gretchen between hard-partying. At the behest of a neighbour she doesn’t like (Michaela Watkins), Brittany takes up running and finds an equally unfit exercise companion in Seth (Micah Stock). Together, they hatch the idea of running in the New York City marathon. Brittany Runs a Marathon was inspired by Colaizzo’s roommate, Brittany O’Neill (who appears in photos before the end credits) and the screenplay is as astute as it is likeable, while treading delicately around the politics of weight loss and body positivity. It helps that Bell is surrounded by a lovely ensemble cast, with actors such as Michaela Watkins and Utkarsh Ambudkar bringing nuance to carefully written characters.

Source: The Irish Times October 31, 2019 04:52 UTC