Christopher Guest’s mock documentaries on dog shows and local theater groups are classics in the genre and are likely upper mind to the makers of “Marathon,” a new comedy that applies the same brand of deadpan satire to the world of competitive running.
As popular an activity as it seems, running 26 miles already seems outlandish to nonparticipants, so the handful of hopefuls we follow training and finally competing in the comedy by Keith Strusbaugh and Anthony Guidubaldi begin their journeys as eccentrics.
Then the details pile on.
There’s Ryan (played with intensity by Andrew Hansen), who just missed qualifying for the Boston Marathon by nine seconds, and becomes obsessed with winning the Devil’s Canyon Marathon, mixing his overconfidence with his many training blunders.
Then there’s Abby (Anais Thomassian), who set aside running when she became a wife and mother and is urgent about getting back to the race (even though her training is limited by how far the baby monitor can qualify).
Jenna (Natalie Sullivan) wants to set a world’s record for a marathon time by someone dressed as a fruit. “If it was easy,” it is said, “everybody would run dressed as fruit.” She’s rattled when someone else (Roberto Raad) shows up in a banana costume as well though. He’s been recruited by a supposed film sponsor, Dole, for product placement, and the there’s, shall we say, some appeal between the two in and out of their absurd yellow costumes.