There was a time right after my dad died that I couldn't turn on the TV. I couldn't turn on the radio. When the TV finally came on, I noticed there were several shows and movies I just could not watch. Some were too intense. Some involved way too much focus. Some I wasn't sure how upsetting they might be. Others seemed so frivolous I couldn't handle seeing such nonsense on screen. For a lengthy period of time I was only able to watch shows/movies that were predictable, that did not involve too much focus, that were not suspenseful. Do you know what was left to watch? Hallmark movies! And boy did I pick the right time to settle in and watch. I got to watch all the fall and Christmas movies over and over again. I eventually could sprinkle in some reruns of The Middle and a dab of The Office. This became the rotation until it became almost exclusively The Office. That is until last weekend, when I found myself watching every NFL playoff game. So, naturally, I became invested this weekend too. Once the games were over I wanted to watch a movie - my first non-Hallmark movie in months.
I switched over to Amazon Prime. I scrolled endlessly reading titles and descriptions trying to decide. Am I the only one that just keeps on scrolling and just never decides? But I was committed and had to find something. One stood out. I don't know why, but I settled on Brittany Runs a Marathon. This movie is based on a true story. The IMDb description is "a hard-partying woman receives a startling wake-up call when a visit to the doctor reveals how unhealthy she is. Motivated to lose weight, she soon takes up running to help her prepare for her ultimate goal of competing in the New York City Marathon."
First things first. I am not a movie reviewer (shocking I know). I also like most things that I watch, at least on some level. So, me liking a movie is not quite the same ringing endorsement as, say, Roger Ebert. Armed with that info, let's begin. I really enjoyed this movie. I had no expectations going in. Jillian Bell as Brittany was quirky, funny, relatable, and believable. I was pleasantly surprised to see Utkarsh Ambudkar was also in this (he did the rapping scenes for the Treblemakers in Pitch Perfect...love). The scene with Brittany and her doctor grabbed my attention- mostly for her attempts to get Adderall. The movie plays on and I really resonated with Brittany (and the movie) displaying what it takes to take that first step...in anything that scares us. That scene was very well shot to me. The tension was palpable and the quick retreat. It felt like a scene out of my own head. I connected with her feelings of not fitting in, her feelings of comparison, her struggles to connect. I don't live in a big city but that would totally be my same reaction running through the streets (minus a few cuss words). You root for her but her growth does not come all at once. It is even sometimes hard to watch when she is getting it so wrong. But that's realistic. I saw setbacks and tension. I sat watching the dynamics of her relationships and recognized patterns - both healthy and unhealthy. Relationships imploded and I watched her navigate very real situations. I saw a display of how "society" started interacting differently with her and appreciated those points being shown. The only "negative" thought I had about the movie was feeling like the subplots were choppy. I wanted her relationships to feel even more authentic or developed, but I missed some of those details. There were some really good, intimate moments. I longed for more of that on screen. But, perhaps, that would have stolen the show from Brittany and her journey. It felt like a real journey and I enjoyed the ride. I even cried a few tears as the movie reached its peak. I can't say it motivated me to start running but I did get that jolt of inspiration-a movie watching high-and that's just what I needed. 3.5/5
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