Million Calorie March

Hoping to work off some weight and draw attention to childhood obesity, 39-year-old writer-producer-director Gary Marino—who once weighed nearly 400 pounds but had thinned to just over 288 before making this film—committed to walking 1,200 miles, from Florida to Boston, in 100 days. Million Calorie March, based on Marino's 2004 book Big & Tall Chronicles, follows his trek in excruciating detail, as he suffers shin splints, argues with his manager, and meets with media and schoolchildren along the way, followed by friends, family, and film crew. Unfortunately, too much of the documentary consists of amateur footage of guys yukking it up in the trailer (scenes that mean a lot more to the people in the movie than those watching it), and an inordinate amount of time is spent on Marino's preparation for the trip. Marino's unflagging enthusiasm is infectious, but aside from a few statistics and the clear message that discrimination against obese people isn't cool, the documentary is light on content. “This was never about me; it's about the lives of our kids,” Marino says modestly at one point, but really, this production is all about him. An optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)