Brittany Runs a Marathon

Written and Directed by Paul Downs Colaizzo

rating: 🏆 most excellent

Out of shape, unmotivated, and stuck in a depressed rut, Brittany begins running “just one block” at a time until she ultimately decides to run the New York City Marathon.

Holy sh*t y’all, this movie spoke to me. As someone who always hated their body, and never identified as being athletic, I signed up for a half marathon in 2015 and it was one of the most empowering things that I have ever done. I may not have ran the whole thing (I think I ran about 7-8 miles of it), but I FINISHED. Before I began training I had never ran more than one straight mile in my life. So while I was training it was so damn inspiring to run 2 miles, 3 miles, etc. all for the first time. It was like I was making history every time I worked out and it forever changed the way I viewed myself and my body. To see that story told in a movie meant everything to me. 

But enough about me, let’s get to the movie. Jillian Bell gave an incredible performance proving that she’s capable of more than just providing a few moments of comedic relief as a bit character. Of course she was funny in this film, but she was also both lovable and detestable, and that’s a hard line to balance within the same role. The script is well written, and every character feels authentic. A complaint that I heard while leaving the theater is that the film was too long. While I disagree, the film moves pretty slowly in places and it’s not an action packed comedy that you may have expected from a Workaholics cast member. Brittany Runs a Marathon is a must-watch, especially if you’re looking for a little boost of inspiration.

Review written by Zianna Weston