The Hammer

For being such a low budget film I was very surprised at how good this film was. Just goes to show that money doesn't make a great film; good story, good acting, lots of funny one-liners and a heart-warming plot do.

I definitely recommend that you watch this!

***FILLER*** aka blah, blah........

I hope Adam Coralla puts together another film. Its too bad this one went straight to DVD with little to no publicity. I've seen numerous films with huge budgets and tons of publicity which were absolutely terrible...........

I enjoyed The Hammer more than I ever expected to. Although at first I was quite excited at the aspect of an Adam Carolla movie, I was a little worried that it wouldn't be funny and would tarnish his name. However, this film more than lived up to my expectations. I found myself genuinely laughing out loud as I watched this movie. Old "Loveline" fans will especially enjoy this movie, due to his unique humor that we all loved so much on that particular show. I especially enjoyed this movie because Carolla never tries too hard to make a joke funny, as is the problem in many of today's comedies. Even if you are not a Carolla fan, please buy, or at least rent this film; you will not regret it.

Adam Carolla is one of those guys you either really like, or really hate. There doesn't quite seem to have been an in-between opinion about him since he rose to national fame as co-host of "The Man Show" in 1999. I've heard a lot of bad things about him, and I haven't been the biggest fan of his myself.

That being said, however, I never would have expected him to write and star in a very smart comedy with a surprising amount of heart to it. After all, you initially think this movie is a rags to riches story about a blue collar worker who finds he can actually make it as a professional boxer. Carolla appears to have taken that now-cliché premise and turn it right on its head in a good way.

So why is this movie great? Why does it deserve 8 out of 10 stars? My answer: it's just very enjoyable to watch, and it has some somewhat unpredictable turns amidst the very clever one-liners from Carolla. Some of Carolla's lines I'm still laughing at even after seeing the movie last night. One of Carolla's best moments is when he gets pulled over by a cop. The rant that follows is just hilarious.

With all the laughs, this story has a heart that fits in pretty well, and doesn't make the movie too schmaltzy or cheesy. Of course, a movie about boxing wouldn't be complete without a climactic fight in the end, and this movie indeed has one. Without giving too much away, the way that fight ends is quite unexpected, especially coming from Carolla, but it was so sincere an ending that it ended the movie in a very satisfactory way.

I probably used the word "surprising" a lot in this review, but that's for good reason. It's a good thing when a movie comes along that you have low expectations for, and it just blows you away with its creativity and originality, especially given its premise. After all, you can go so far with a movie about sports. Take Burt Reynolds, for example. His most recent sports romp, "Cloud 9", began with a great premise, but ended up just as cliché as most other sports movies. This coming from the actor (and producer) who brought us "The Longest Yard" too.

My biggest grievance about this movie comes not from its content, but from the Motion Picture Association of America for rating this movie R. This was the biggest misfire on the MPAA ever. This movie had one use of the F-word, no lethal violence, no explicit sexual content, and no suggestive themes. It should have been rated PG-13, period. This movie could be the prime example of the MPAA's inefficiency and inaccuracy, and it's a shame that low-budget gems like this movie have to suffer for it.

As for Adam Carolla, though, his stock went way up in my book after seeing this movie. As soon as it comes out on DVD, I'm buying it for sure.

As one would expect from an Adam Corolla movie, there are plenty of the rapier witticisms he is known for, and there is a solid laugh-out-loud every few minutes for the duration. But, more importantly, the story is a really sweet, engaging and uplifting tale of a middle aged slacker who takes one last shot at achieving his dreams, or at least realizing what they are. It was truly beautiful, in the way he comes to embrace his life and mission. Also, credit to Adam's heavily-accented Nicaraguan friend Ozzie as his sidekick, the duo has something of a Don Quixote-Sancho Panza feel to it, which works very well. I'm an AC fan, but my wife is not, and she loved it as well. This might be the best "small movie" I've ever seen.

This film had a lot to live up to for me. I read a lot and had heard a lot of good things about it before finally seeing it. Inevitably, when that happens usually the film can't possibly live up to the hype. This one for me really did. I hearkened back to a time in film making when comedies didn't need gross-out scenes or elaborate sight gags to carry the comedy. The comedy just relied on good and funny writing. This film has it in spades.

First a little jag about the MPPA rating system. If someone could explain to me the, "R" rating, I would appreciate it. It seems to me the only reason - and I'm no conspiracy theorist - for it to carry such a rating is to kill small, independent film such as this one. It has no nudity, no harsh language (no f-bombs or closer), no real violence (there is a little blood in one scene but its surrounded by boxing as a plot point). Really, I want to know, why the, "R" rating. I'm pretty conservative but I would take my 7 year old niece to this film.

This is a romantic comedy. I would put it among the best in the sports-themed category right alongside, "Tin Cup" and "Bull Durahm". This film, however carries a much lighter touch after all it was made for like, 1/5th the budget and therefore carries much more charm and appeal as a result. I will say that despite the low budget it is far from looking like a low budget film. The directing is tight, the acting is very convincing and the comedy is razor sharp.

Overall I would say, if you are finished with the tired and formula driven comedies the major studios are pumping out these days and want to get back to a comedy that is very funny but doesn't have to hit you over the head with over the top stereotypes, sight gags and fart jokes, then, "The Hammer" may be the salvation you have been waiting for.