Here Comes the Boom

Here Comes the Boom

Comedy (Sports, Family)

2012

Rated: PG

Running Time: 105 minutes

Starring: Kevin Smith, Henry Winkler, Salma Hayek, Greg Germann, Bas Rutten

Directed By: Frank Coraci

Rating: 4 out of 10

Outline

A high school biology teacher is forced to MMA fight, so he can raise enough money to save his friends job.

Review

I once got food poisoning from eating baby carrots. What happened to my stomach for the next 12 hours could be appropriately described by the title of this film. It was also a more pleasant experience to go through than this movie was. Obviously I only jest, and to be fair this was better than I thought it would be. Here Comes the Boom is the story of Scott Voss. He is a high school biology teacher that tries to become a professional MMA (mixed-martial arts) fighter. He hopes to raise enough money to save his schools extracurricular programs from being cancelled.

I needed a mindless watch, so I popped this movie into the PS-3, and away we go. It didn’t take long for me to get that familiar Adam Sandler stank from this movie. Looking further into it, I see that Happy Madison (Sandler’s Company) was a producer for this, and director Frank Coraci, has shot a couple of Sandler films in the past. I only mention it because the humor is noticeably bad or absent in this. The film starts and we are introduced to Scott Voss as he sleeps through his alarm, which in turn makes him late for school. When he finally arrives at the school, he lets his students do whatever they want as he catches some more shut eye. It establishes Scott as a man coasting through life, with little ambition and no goals. The film doesn’t really get under way until the schools music program is threatened with cancellation, and a fellow teacher’s job is at risk of being axed. Scott plays the unlikely hero and steps up to save the day. He decides to raise the money needed to save the music program, by himself. So he takes on night teaching classes and quickly realizes it won’t be nearly enough. After racking his brain, he comes up with the decision of fighting in MMA bouts for the cash. The problem is he has to start at the very bottom of the sport. So he fights in abandoned warehouses, he fights in broken ass rings, and he even fights in the rain. Surprisingly, the fights are actually entertaining to watch, and Voss is not out of place in the ring. The premise is preposterous and yet you will enjoy him giving and taking punches. The humor however, is nowhere to be found. They try to find humor with immigrants who can’t speak English properly. They try to find humor in Voss puking. They try and find humor in Voss sexually harassing the school nurse, and they even try to find humor with Neil Diamond music. This is where the film loses its way, and that is because this is the lowest form of humor these days. It is Adam Sandler humor.

Kevin James plays Scott Voss, and you know what? He is actually very good in the role. He is likeable as the goofy yet loveable teacher, and he is fun to watch in the ring. James is in no way a fighter, but he doesn’t look out of place in the ring. I liked James, but the problem is with his supporting cast. Henry Winkler plays the teacher whose job is going to be cancelled, and talk about vanilla. Winkler’s gentle humor wouldn’t have been funny in the 1960’s let alone today. He bumbles his way through this movie, making mistakes as Voss’s unofficial manager. He forgets the ring chair, he forgets the theme music, and he forgets that he is supposed to be funny. Salma Hayek plays Voss’s love interest and she is little more than a tight shirt in this. Pick any actress out there, and she could have filled in for Hayek.

So as the deadline approaches for the money that is due, Voss is forced to take on bigger and bigger fights. He trains with a former professional fighter so he can win fights, and more importantly not get killed. In his noble quest to save his colleagues job, Voss realizes that he has strayed as a teacher. In finding passion in the ring, he also finds passion in teaching biology to his students. It is cheesy, but I liked the feel good angle. So Voss gets punched, kicked, choked, gouged, and just beaten to a bloody pulp in this, all for the viewer’s amusement. He then encourages the so called weirdo’s and losers of his class to speak up and to chase their dreams. The film coasts from fight to fight, and from class to class. By the end of the film, you will want Voss to win the big fight and to win the nurses affection. In a time where most movies go for the crude humor, it is good to see that these types of films still exist. In conclusion, haven’t we seen this same premise before in School of Rock? This film is fun in that it never takes itself too seriously. James makes this film really easy to watch and the fighting is eventful. Unfortunately, the lack of humor and Winkler’s performance weigh in on the films quality factor for the whole movie. This film will make you smile, but will leave you feeling disappointed.

Director Frank Coraci, loves to make movies that are light hearted with positive vibes (The Waterboy, Zookeeper). The problem is that he is so formulaic, that his films always seem one dimensional. His incorporation of real MMA fighters was the right touch, and his pacing does keep the viewer interested. I liked this films message and I liked the progression. The problem is this film was not funny in the slightest, and Coraci does nothing to make it funny. He did an okay job on a film that should have been god awful, so I will give him a pass.

I cannot recommend this film but it was way better than expected.

T Factor + If you like family/feel good films, then this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor – If you do not like Kevin James as an actor, then this could score lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: School of Rock, The Longest Yard.  

The Fighter

The Fighter

Drama (Sports)

2010

Rated: R

Running Time: 116 minutes

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams

Directed By: David O. Russell

Rating: 7 out of 10

Outline

Taking place in the 1990’s this is the story of real life boxer Mickey Ward as he tries to juggle his personal life and his boxing career.

Review

When I saw Mark Wahlberg was starring in a boxing movie I hoped he wasn’t going to fight a tree in the title bout. I also hoped he wouldn’t have to fight Seamus at some point. Based on a true story The Fighter is the story of boxer Micky Ward. He is a fledgling boxer who has lost his last few fights. He has one more shot at glory but there is a problem. His manager mother and drug addicted brother/trainer never seem to have his best interests at heart.

I am always super critical of sports movies as the actual sports being played in it are usually substandard and unrealistic. That coupled with fact it gets super repetitive and that usually detracts from the bigger picture. The Fighter easily gets past that and works even though there is very little boxing involved. It really is a movie with boxing as opposed to a boxing movie. The film starts off and we are introduced to Micky and his crack addled brother Dicky. This is a winding tale about the love of family, the hardships of boxing as a career, and the power of belief even when you are a severe underdog. The story of Micky as a blue collar worker and as a boxer is quite compelling as the movie rolls along. Will he decide to trust in his family and quit boxing altogether? or go with a whole different route entirely? It is a journey you will want to see to the end. Boxing is Micky’s passion but it is tearing his family apart and it ultimately could kill him as he is getting some suspect advice from many levels.

The acting is truly what makes this film as good as it is. Mark Wahlberg while not always on point is never the less a charismatic lead who has the look of a boxer. His older half brother Dicky played by Christian Bale is incredible as a drug addicted former fighter. He is hard to look at as Bale has lost a lot of weight for authenticity. His twitchy and hyper active demeanor really captured the character and his winning of the best supporting actor trophy was a foregone conclusion. Wahlberg and Bale have instant chemistry letting you fully buy into their relationship as it peaks and valleys. Their mom played by Melissa Leo won the best supporting actress award for this role and while she is solid as their domineering mom I felt Amy Adams deserved the award more. Adams plays Micky’s girlfriend Charlene and her raw and gritty performance is such a transformation you won’t believe it is her. I am not usually a fan of Adams but she brought her A game in this. The rest of the cast is nothing short of solid and realistic only adding to the power of this story.

The boxing that takes place in this is pretty good and they add a special filter to the camera to make it look like old footage from the 90’s. It is a shame that we don’t see more fights taking place in the ring but it really is incidental to the story. As the story rolls along you are taken for a wild ride of Dicky’s constant struggle between the love of drugs and the love of boxing. You see Micky torn between his meddling family and his strong willed girlfriend. You also get taken for a ride in the ring as Micky tries for one last bout for glory. As the film comes to an end you will have laughed a little, smiled a lot, and maybe even shed the odd tear. Fighting might be what Micky does best in the ring but his struggle to survive life is the hardest fight he will face. Will Dicky die from drugs? Will Micky have success in the ring? Will his family be torn apart? All great questions that you should watch to find out.

Director David O. Russell takes a great script and just delivers a great sports movie. It has power inside and outside the ring. The casting is perfect and the rough and tumble characters are super easy to follow. While it does have slow parts it never lasts for long as it always seems that Micky needs to solve some interesting personal issue. The film will punch its way into your heart and that is without much time in the ring. A solid finished product put forth by Mr. Russell.

I give this movie a recommendation especially to people who like underdog stories.

T Factor + If you like Wahlberg as an actor than this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor – If you like lots of sport shots in your movies than this could score lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: Million Dollar Baby, Cinderella Man. 

Goon

Goon

2011

Comedy

Rated: R

Running Time: 92 minutes

Starring: Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Liev Schreiber

Directed By: Michael Dowse

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Outline

A man heads out to Eastern Canada to pursue his dream of becoming a hockey enforcer.

Review

Hockey movies are notoriously bad. They do not have the sheer awesomeness of a tight football game movie. Nor do they have the electricity of a baseball movie with a ninth inning walk off home run. Hockey is a sport that is too fast paced for the big screen. So when watching a hockey movie, you are always wondering wouldn’t I just like the real thing more? That is until the movie Goon rolled around and stole the viewer’s heart with a simplistic tale of team camaraderie and tenacity. The movie Goon is a story about a simple Jewish boy named Doug Glatt. He is seemingly lost in the world working as a bouncer at a local watering hole.  He sees everyone around him doing things with their lives and he seems lost in the mix. That is until he gets a random tryout as a hockey enforcer with a very minor league hockey team. He realizes this is what he wants to do with his life and puts everything he has into it. He even moves to Eastern Canada to pursue his dream, and finding out about love and honor along the way.

 If you are not familiar with hockey, goons (more commonly known as enforcers) are hockey’s bad boys. They protect the star players of their team by hitting, and more often than not having to fight to make their statement heard. They are often one of the most popular, if not the favorite player on any hockey team. They are blue collar workers representing themselves well. I have to admit it took me a little while to get into this film. I found the opening scene of seeing Doug working as a bouncer a little cheesy for my tastes. But once it gets going this film is a treat. Doug is this honest and trustworthy guy off the ice, and he takes these traits with him onto the ice while he pounds the pulp out of guys on the other team. You root for Doug because he is the nicest guy, and you want him to succeed. The story of following his minor league team is very much secondary to seeing Doug succeed as an enforcer. This movie will make you laugh out loud, but more often than not, you will find yourself smiling for no other reason than Doug’s team scores a goal. The fighting in the film is not the best visually but keeps in tune with the films feel. Blood and teeth will fly and it all seems appropriate. I also really liked the fact that the goons personalities from team to team were so varied. They were not all just dumb jocks. Some were polite, others dumb, some philosophical, while others mean. You never knew what personality Doug was going to run into on the ice so it kept the film fresh.

Doug Glatt played by Seann William Scott while not a challenging role was never the less perfectly played. You will love this character from the start until the end. He is funny, open, and Scott does not go overboard with him. There is something so genuine about Scott’s portrayal of Doug that this film had to work. His foul mouthed best friend Ryan played by Jay Baruchel is another great addition to this film. The two of them shouldn’t be friends but relate to each other perfectly. Baruchel makes sure that all the sex and crass humor is fulfilled in this film and he does it well. Doug has a love interest named Eva played by Alison Pill, and she does a solid job of keeping this movie a little grounded as it does get too out there from time to time.  

The supporting cast of actors making up Doug’s hockey team is a great mix as they range from young rookies to alcoholic veterans. They allow for a bevy of different jokes and stories to unfold around Doug’s main storyline and that is a good thing. Another great supporting role was Liev Schreiber who plays veteran goon Ross Rhea. He has the look, he has the demeanor, and he has the presence of a goon down pat. It doesn’t hurt that he has a kick ass handle bar moustache to boot. He was such a great character in such a small supporting role he just completed the movie for me.

The film is never slow no matter if it is on or off the ice. The whole movie is built up anticipation of Doug the rookie, fighting hockey enforcer legend Ross Rhea. I found I was more emotionally invested in Doug’s hockey team than I should have been and that is the sign of a great movie. This film is well written and heartfelt which I also liked. This film will become a cult classic and I was shocked at how funny it truly was. When it ended I easily could have watched more and I am not sure if this story has the strength for another one but I certainly hope they try.

Director Michael Dowse has directed the virtually unknown but funny Canadian films Fubar and Fubar 2 so he knows how to put together a comedy on a low budget. He took a really funny script (Jay Baruchel, Evan Goldberg, Adam Frattasio, Doug Smith) and turned it into something special. The hockey fights and hockey highlights were nothing special but not the worst either and certainly never detracted from the film. The story was perfectly paced with the right amount of on the ice to off the ice ratio. He took a good cast and made a film he should be proud of.

I am going to give this movie a big recommendation especially to Hockey lovers and of course Canadians.

T Factor + If you like hockey this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor – if you do not like hockey this could score way lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: Major League, Slap Shot