HERE COMES THE BOOM
US, 2012, 105 minutes, Colour.
Kevin James, Salma Hayak, Henry Winkler, Gregg German.
Directed by Frank Coraci.
Another Kevin James comedy from Adam Sandler’s company. We know what to expect. Some knockabout comedy, a lot of corny humour, some PG vulgarity, laughter at the expense of a star who could lose some weight. While this is in some ways true of this film, it doesn’t quite do it justice. There is much more of a niceness in this one. There are quite a few funny moments. And it is minimally vulgar. Perhaps a bit more appeal than the usual films with and/or from Adam Sandler.
It is definitely a knockabout comedy. And lots of knocks at that. It is a multi martial arts story. Memories of the recent, Warrior with Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy which brought multi martial arts to mainstream movies. Someone remarked that it was a bit like Bad Teacher, with Cameron Diaz, with problems in a school. These comments came from audiences familiar with the latest films.
In fact, it reminded this reviewer more strongly of films like Rocky and the story of the underdog who triumphs and of Dead Poets Society where an unorthodox teacher is able to communicate with his students, willing and unwilling.
Perhaps that gives too elevated an impression of Here Comes the Boom Kevin James plays a biology teacher who has given up on his initial teaching zest and has become something of a slob. But, he has some sensitive moments with his friend, music teacher Henry Winkler. (And it is a pleasure to see a grey-haired Winkler in a substantial role that gives him both serious and farcical moments.) The school is in dire financial straits. And the music course is to be cut.
James brashly attacks the authorities and suggests the staff help find the money. One of the students at his night classes to prepare adults for citizenship watches multi-martial arts on TV and, now the former wrestler (well, twenty years former!) decides that he can find the money if he competes and gets the prize money for the loser, $10,000.
School authorities are not pleased. The students gradually see him as a hero. He loses and loses but… well you’ve seen Rocky! And his old teaching zeal is re-ignited. He has spent a lot of time courting the school nurse (Salma Hayek) who resists him but admires his perseverance. There are some nice, sentimental sub-plots about his brother who hates his job but is a great cook, about a young girl from a Filipino family who need her to work in a restaurant.
There is a huge finale in Las Vegas.
Kevin James has some abrasive aspects in his screen personality but he does win everyone over. Henry Winkler is able to bridge the gulf between sport and the arts. The film is very much pro music in school.
It is a pastime kind of comedy but has some good moments and is better than we might have thought as we sat down to watch it.
1. An Adam Sandler production? At Kevin James vehicle?
2. Kevin James and his screen personality, sympathetic and unsympathetic, in his forties, large, oafish, some redeeming features?
3. The title, multi-martial arts? The musical accompaniment?
4. Comedy, situations, characters, slapstick, dialogue, Voss and his quest?
5. Memories of the Rocky genre? Dead Poets Society?
6. Voss, at home, lazy, getting out of bed, arriving at school, getting in the window, the supervisor, the reaction of the class? Teaching biology? The students and their reaction? The board,
threats?
7. Marty, Henry Winkler’s presence? The music class? The students and their love of music, playing? Voss watching? Marty, his wisdom, his music career?
8. The school assembly, Voss and his friend, their reactions, the speeches, the financial difficulties, the closing down of departments, closing down music? Bella and her reaction? Her relationship to Voss, resisting him? Voss, his brash comments, his support of Marty, no plan?
9. Marty, his wife, at home, not telling her, his going to school? Voss, his plan, calling the meeting, no one coming except Bella?
10. The small plans, raising a small amount of money, car wash etc?
11. The biology classes, the students not interested? The contrast with his civic classes? The range of students, pronunciations, meanings of words, ‘suffrage’, his coaching the Dutch man, his home, friends, watching television, multi-martial arts? The prize money? His decision?
12. The training sequences, his struggle, the build-up to the fights, the audience, the music, Marty present, the wins and losses? The sports interviews?
13. His flirting with Bella, her not responding? The bets? His family, his brother and his work, his skill at cooking, the meals, Voss pretending to cook, his brother preparing the meal? The brother and his family, his wife’s exasperation? The signal for the plot development, the Filipino father and withdrawing his daughter from the music class, Voss and his plea, the job, his brother getting it?
14. The school principal, his support of Voss, encouraging, the truth about his embezzlement?
15. Voss, Niko and his helping with the training, Niko’s own story? Voss and his other fights, the opponents, the music, the crowds, Marty and Bella?
16. Voss and his money, lost with the embezzlement, his other plans? The money for losers? His taking stock of himself, his interest in classes and the changes with the students?
17. The build-up to Las Vegas, memories of Rocky, the discussions with the experts, interviews? The coaching?
18. The school coming to Las Vegas, the choir, the spirit, the Filipina, her playing, the fight, Voss and his suffering, everybody giving advice, his final victory, the loser being a good sport, the civic
class watching on television, the commentators?
19. Marty, the comedy, his wife, and class at the end?
20. Voss and Bella, the possibility of romance or not?
21. An entertaining film, the emphasis on sport, the emphasis on the arts? The final cry, Viva America?
