It's a little sad seeing the Fonz so old, gray, and utterly uncool. The only thing Salma Hayek has going for her is her hotness, but this is a pure paycheck appearance for her. By sheer force of personality, he makes some scenes watchable (but no more than that). The biggest thing Kevin James has going for him is his likeability. And the big sports feel-good moments are so ineptly presented that cheering is almost unthinkable. (The other: Pitch Perfect.) The dramatic elements are half-baked. This is the second film in a month that expects viewers to be doubled over with laughter because a character spews copious amounts of vomit. When he sees the principal waiting for him, he pretends it's all part of an elaborate demonstration for his borderline-comatose students.) At its funniest, Here Comes the Boom is no more than mildly amusing and a lot of the humor is more embarrassing or distasteful than comedic. (Scott, recognizing he's late, climbs through the classroom window. We know we're in trouble early when the first joke fails. Here Comes the Boom is stale and vanilla. (Alternative lesson: you do what it takes to make money, even if physical pain and humiliation are necessary.) All the while, he sets an example for his students about the value of perseverance. Predictably, after a rocky start, Scott starts winning bouts and eventually gets his shot at the big time. After all, he was a good wrestler in college, even if that was 20 years ago, and even losers get paid. He has no plan but eventually decides to try Mixed Martial Arts. So, in rare moment of unselfishness, Scott declares that he will raise the $48,000 necessary to ensure Marty's continued employment. This apocalyptic occurrence would result in music teacher Marty Streb (Henry Winkler) losing his job. That's because, when the dastardly principal (Greg Germann) announces budget cuts, the music department faces elimination. The film, which leaves no cliché untouched, is about an indifferent high school teacher, Scott Voss (Kevin James), who is accidentally transformed into the most caring, inspiring man in his high school. And star Kevin James is, of course, a member of Sandler's rat pack. That isn't surprising when one considers that the director, Frank Coraci, is a long-time Sandler collaborator. Although Adam Sandler is not directly involved in this movie, it has the feel of one of his kid-friendly projects both in the nature of the comedy (unfunny physical shtick and body fluid jokes) and the overall tone. 2011's vastly superior Warrior told a similar story but, in the case of Here Comes the Boom, weak humor and vanilla plotting have replaced legitimate drama, pathos, and character development. Strangely, this is not the first time we've seen this. Here Comes the Boom is a mash-up of two popular genres: the sports movie and the teacher-making-a-difference movie.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |