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I had low expectations for this given the plot (which you can't take seriously) and figured the best parts were shown in the trailers. I must say I was pleasantly surprised.

The plot is all very predictable but really who cares for this type of movie. The dialog is not that sharp (Seven Psychopaths it is not) and while some parts are a little corny, the film is light hearted, does not take itself too seriously and is excellent entertainment if you want to switch off your brain at the end of the week.

This film moves at a good pace, is funny throughout, with some real laugh out loud moments, and leaves you with a good feeling at the end.

Kevin James delivers as only he can! The reigning "big man" of comedy shows off his slimmer physique and pretty impressive MMA skills as the teacher turned fighter.. I laughed at parts but being a "King of Queens" fan i guess i wanted more(no Leah Remni or Jerry Stiller?).. still think James is super talented actor and very funny... kudos to "The Fonz" Henry Winkler and UFC great-turned actor Bas Rutten who both give great supporting roles...and Salma Hayek...well she isn't bad to look at..her acting...eh..a comedic Rocky-esque motion picture that everyone can enjoy! If you are a Kevin James fan this won't disappoint. good family film!!

Whether you find him funny or not, Kevin James has been racking up the hits since focusing on movies. While not all were hit with the critics, he has managed to garner a following. The trailer for his latest Here Comes The Boom looked like a mix of the same old fair that he normally delivers, but does it have any chance of working to deliver a funny comedy or will it end up being just another forced goofy addition to his resume.

Here Comes The Boom follows a biology teacher who is determine to save the music program from being cut in their school by becoming a mixed-martial arts fighter. While the premise is a bit out there and some of the scenarios are a bit far-fetched this movie works surprisingly well. There are plenty of laughs here that work on numerous levels, but depending on how big a fan of James you are will determine how funny they are. The real surprise here was the fact that there was so much more here than just a stupid comedy. The story is a typical underdog tale with comedy, but enough heart to keep you rooting for James throughout the whole film. Gone is the usual over the top bumbling funny fat guy, in its place was a cooler everyman that works perfectly for this story. James steps up to really deliver more than he has to date. He shows not only a good range with some different emotions, but is pretty impressive with his ability to carry the fight scenes. It was nice to see that while this was a comedy, they still took the fighting side of it seriously to deliver something not only believable but entertaining and will suck you right into the action. The rest of the cast do a great job of bringing everything together, with the real highlights being Henry Winkler who is a spitting image of the band teacher in the Simpsons and former MMA legend Bas Rutten. Both of these guys never take themselves seriously and deliver some funny memorable and likable characters.

This movie was a real surprise on almost every level. It delivers an almost Rocky like underdog tale with some over the top funny moments to create something completely unexpected. Kevin James really knocked it out of the park here and hope he sticks to these kinds of roles and continues to stretch his acting range.

High art this is not but anyone that expects high level stuff from a movie with this premise is not watching it with the right frame of mind. It's a good old fashion feel good film with a message. Dare I say Capraesque? I wouldn't even classify this as a comedy. It's a fantasy of goodwill film that induces plenty of smiles and packs heart. Kevin James is perfect in the lead and his common man qualities play extremely well here. They lean on the Rocky formula a lot but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One thing is for sure, Salma Hayek is the hottest "Adrian" type love interest to ever play in this type of film. She's amazing throughout. A warm shout out to Henry Winkler who is also perfectly cast as the somewhat eccentric music teacher with the heart of gold.

A wonderful surprise that I enjoyed very much.

This has real charm, motivation, comedy, and a superb Henry Winkler and Selma Hayek - and a very good Bas Rutten as the coach who will be getting a ton of work based on this - all in all this is a surprise from beginning to end - and James finally seems to have learnt to rein it in and learnt that OTT all the time is just deadening.

So, a confession - Mall Cop, not my favorite movie, just OK, the one at the zoo, definitely not my thing (or my kids), so I had very low expectations indeed going in to see Boom - but what a difference! The plot is simple: loser teacher seeks to raise school funds by becoming a MMA fighter. And it works. The surprise is how inspirational this is - the school aspect is a really smart move - and totally lifts the movie.

If you want a pizza movie you could do much much worse, this is a well-made, well-judged, and fun movie. One strongly suspects that James found a character he could totally connect with and it gives him what he does best - heart.