Break Point

One thing is for sure after watching this movie. I will never watch a movie again about tennis. Tennis in real life is a little bit boring but in a movie it is an absolute disaster. Half of the movie it is just movie shots of the ball bouncing back and forth. So when it's not even a real competition it's really boring, like watching somebody practice, there is absolute no joy in that besides for the player himself. Now I thought there would be a little bit of humour in it, but even that is not good. It's the kind of humour that sometimes make you have a tiny little grin and then you hope there will be more and better. But that never happens in the whole movie. If you have absolutely nothing else to do just go out and play tennis yourself, you will be more entertained.

A great film. Just as the two brothers playing tennis way out of their league, maybe also Gene Hong (the writer) and Jay Karas (the director), who have done much more TV than movies, could have shared the same feeling. And the same could be said for David Walton (Darren), Vincent Ventresca (the great Gary) or Joshua Rush (the even greater Barry).

But, believe me, this is a great film with a great cast and the above mentioned actors star greatly along with Jeremy Sisto, JK Simmons and Amy Smart.

The story is funny and enjoyable, the characters are so nice you'll easily find yourself hoping for a sequel. Everything is perfect, cheering and entertaining. My kind of comedy.

Jimmy Price (Jeremy Sisto) is a tennis player on his last legs. He antagonizes everybody including his doubles partner. He needs a new partner. His veterinary father Jack (J.K. Simmons) suggests his younger brother Darren (David Walton) despite double-crossing him when they were younger. Darren is a substitute teacher who is befriended by a clingy boy named Barry. Darren is taken with Jack's assistant Heather (Amy Smart) who has boyfriend Gary. Barry opines, "Our names rhyme. It's mildly amusing".

One gets the feeling that this was written as a wacky comedy but it's at best mildly amusing. Neither Sisto nor Walton are outright comedians although they sometimes do comedic acting. In this one, they don't really try that hard. The lines are sometimes there but the delivery is flat. I keep thinking this is a Will Ferrell comedy without Will Ferrell. It might be better to go darker and more serious with the story. Or just give it to Ferrell for him to go completely nuts.

I really loved this movie - its very funny and has a lot of heart. Break Point stars the very handsome Jeremy Sisto (who also wrote and produced the movie). He plays Jimmy, a foul mouthed, over the hill tennis player who wants to try for the US open. He has to convince his estranged brother Darren (David Walton) to play with him but it's not easy because years ago Jimmy dumped him as his partner. Throughout the movie the two brothers fight but somehow manage to become close on and off the court. The movie has a great supporting cast with J.K. Simmons as Jimmy and Darren's father, Amy Smart as the woman Darren is in love with, and Joshua Rush as a lonely child who befriends Darren. Break Point has a lot of really funny scenes - I laughed out loud more than once. Jeremy Sisto gives one of the best performances of his career. This is a terrific, heartwarming movie about family. I highly recommend it.

The movie is not met to change lives but it will supply you with a lot of laughs if you go out and see it.

Especially, Jeremy Sisto, who nailed it. He showed some serious comedy chops that I did not know he had. Think I only see him in dramas like Law & Order. He was brilliant as the charming lovable washed up Tennis player trying to get back into the game.

Although I felt David Walton, who played the younger brother who was loured back onto the courts by his brother so he can play doubles, was not that good of a straight man to Sisto's hilarious performance, but his relationship with an eleven year old boy he substitute taught for was where he got to shine. These two were too much together.

It's not going to be the greatest sports movie of all time or the greatest sports comedy ever, In fact the whole Tennis thing feels no more than back ground for the relationship of all the characters, which includes J.K. Simmons as the dad, but overall it's a guaranteed laugh. You won't be able to help yourself.