Adam Sandler's production company,
Happy Madison, makes a habit of infuriating movie critics with its
films. They produce movies that are either simple and schmaltzy or
juvenile and gross. Or both together. In a world where film critics
gravitate to the dark and ironic, these movies are dismissed as
escapist stupidity.
And I'm sure that's what most critics
will say about their latest film Here Comes the Boom staring
Kevin James. This movie has no subtlety in the script nor does it
boast stellar performances, huge laughs, or artistic directing. But
that does not mean that it is a bad move. Far from it. I actually
enjoyed the heck of this film.
The plot revolves around Scott Voss
(James) who is a high school biology teacher. After starting off his
career with energetic idealism, he has been crushed by a system of
mediocrity, where he simply sits and class reading his paper, waiting
for his paycheck. This changes when the school announces because of
budget cuts that the music program will be defunded. This means that
his colleague Marty (played by a very un-Fonzie Henry Winkler), will
lose his job. For reasons that have been established earlier, Scott
feels compelled to raise money to save the program. While tutoring
someone to pass their citizenship test (Bas Rutten), he watches a
mixed-martial arts fight and finds out that UFC fighters makes at
least $10 grand a fight, even if they lose.
Scott then goes on a series of comic
episodes working his way up the fighting circuit to earn the money he
needs. Like all good sports movies, and this is at heart a sports
movie, Scott is the scrappy underdog who will not give up no matter
how humiliated and injured he becomes. And those injures serve to
bring him closer to the school nurse (played by Salma Hayek) as
Marty's increasing passion and selflessness brings romance to the two
of them.
Along the way he interacts with lots of
quirky characters like his trainer Nico (Rutten), a gentle giant who
is happy that life is “twisting” (i.e. cool). Then there's Malia
(played by Filipino singer Charice) a smart and sweet girl who needs
a teacher to help her. I could go on, but you get the idea. As he
finds his outer strength, he begins to find his inner strength and
brings his enthusiasm back to the classroom. In class he gives
lecture (while gyrating on his desk) on how dynamic cells can bring a
whole oranism back to life. This is a metaphor for the classroom
and, as a teacher myself, I couldn't agree more. As I wrote in my
Philosophy of Teaching, enthusiasm is contagious and students learn
better when they feel excited.
The film routinely relies on silly
situations to move the story forward. I can't say that there were a
lot of laughs (although after Scott's first win, I couldn't stop
laughing for a few minutes). But I found myself smiling throughout
the entire film. The movie may not be the funniest, but it is
enjoyable. The script doesn't give the actors a lot to work with,
although James has lots of hidden charisma. He is completely
believable as the layabout teacher, the inspiring teacher, the
worthless fighter, and the worth fighter. That is no small feat. I
would love to see James tackle some more dramatic roles that push his
range because I think that he definitely has it in him.
As a Catholic I was also pleased with
the subtle nods to faith in the movie. Religion doesn't really come
up, but one trainer quotes Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestles God.
Right before the final match, Scott and his team join hands in prayer
and walk in to an exciting rendition of the Neil Diamond song “Holy
Holy.”
As I said before, this is a sports
movie. The most important quality of a sports movie is that it makes
you feel like you are at a sporting event. Major League is my
favorite movie about sports because I am riveted during that last
game. The most salient crowd feature at a game is the cheer. The
audience gives its full-throated commitment to the outcome of the
contest. In Scott's last match in the movie, the stakes are raised.
He is not prepared for this, but he goes forward anyway. I was
desperate for him to win. That is impressive for a movie that for
the most part was coasting at a “B-” grade.
They tell you that in good writing you
don't explicitly say the theme. Here Comes the Boom throws
that out the window. Marty tells a weary Scott that “teaching is
inspiring.” Director Frank Coraci (who gave us the great The
Wedding Singer and the under-appreciated Capra-esque Click)
then shows us shot after shot of the quirky cast of characters Scott
has encountered in his journey. And they all seem inspired. It is a
cheesy film technique designed to tug at our hearts.
And it works. Somehow, Coraci makes
this silly story work on an emotional level. I couldn't help but be
a little inspired.
And I think you might be too.
3 ½ out of 5 stars
Here Comes the Boom opens October 12th
Here Comes the Boom opens October 12th
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