Brittany Runs a Marathon

Hilarious, outgoing and always up for a good time, New Yorker Brittany Forgler (Jillian Bell)  is everybody’s best friend ― except maybe her own. At 27, her hard-partying ways, chronic underemployment and toxic relationships are catching up with her, but when she stops by a new doctor’s office to try to score some Adderall, she gets slapped with a prescription she never wanted: Get healthy. Too broke for a gym and too proud to ask for help, Brit is at a loss, until her seemingly together neighbor Catherine pushes her to lace up her Converse sneakers and run one sweaty block. The next day, she runs two. And soon, after finishing her first mile, she sets an almost unthinkable goal: running in the New York City Marathon.

Award-winning playwright Paul Downs Colaizzo (from Cherry Hill, which counts as Philly!) makes his directorial debut with Brittany Runs a Marathon, an uproarious, irreverent and surprisingly emotional comedy inspired by real events.

The irresistible cast, led by Jillian Bell, lends heart and soul to this inspirational story of a party girl who finally finds real friends — and dignity — by taking control of her future, one city block at a time. Winner of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award.

Tinsel & Tine contributor and Draw-tographer Diane Roka (@dianeroka) did some live drawings during the post-screening Q&A.

“The film is ostensibly a comedy, but it hits a lot of real notes. Mainly, when you start to change your life through fitness, how easy it can be to lapse into a sort of addiction to control. Paul Downs Colaizzo’s dialogue is spot on (he based Brittany’s character on his former roommate @brittoneillnyc ) and Jillian captures so much of that vulnerability through a simple glance” – Roka