The Hammer
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Movie Reviews of The Hammer
Movie Review: The Hammer - Excellent Romantic Sports Comedy from Adam Carolla
Summary: 5 Stars
You may not have heard of it yet, but Adam Carolla did a surprisingly excellent movie that just came out on DVD after a short run in theaters. I watched and re-watched my copy after it arrived in the mail yesterday, and I am pleased with the product!
Adam Carolla plays down-on-his-luck boxing instructor Jerry Ferro, who is on the ropes as far as life goes. After having been fired from his day job as a carpenter and dumped by his girlfriend, it looks like the former glory days for the once Golden Gloves boxer "The Hammer" are over. That is, until a chance match with a brutal boxer at Ferro's morning job. Ferro manages a devastating left-handed blow that staggers his opponent, earning him a shot at boxing in the Olympics by way of a prospecting coach who oversaw the fight and recognizes Ferro's latent ability.
Along the way, a new love interest appears with Lindsay Pratt (Heather Juergensen), an intelligent and perky public defender Ferro discovers while instructing his boxing class.
Inspired by his second chance at boxing glory, new love with Pratt, and encouragement from best friend Ozzie (Oswaldo Castillo), Ferro dedicates himself to fighting his way to the top of the local and regional boxing tourneys, both arms swinging for Olympic Gold.
But, as Ferro soon finds out, the fight worth winning is never the easiest.
Where you would expect boobs and fart jokes with starring Man Show guy Adam Carolla's cred and R-rating, The Hammer actually presents a sweet little love story, packaged with a competent tale of boxing for Olympic gold. The real K.O. is that the movie is not just some Rocky clone, but an entertaining comedy that highlights the real two-fisted struggles one fights with in life, both inside -- and outside -- the ring.
For an independent and low-budget (you can't tell from the quality) film, The Hammer has great acting from all players, with not one lacking performance given. Adam Carolla has proven he can act beyond being Jimmy Kimmel's sidekick in hamfisted comedic skits, but the real surprise is his Latino friend, Oswaldo. Ozzie, as he is referred to by nickname, steals almost every scene he appears in with his affable demeanor, playing the rallying Sancho to Carolla's Don Quixote.
Also surprising is Carolla's boxing prowess, which is as fleet-footed and on-target as the movie's quick pace and clever punchlines. Never resorting to simple humor, The Hammer is also a vehicle for Carolla's compact but complex rants, of which have earned him notoriety as a caustic and witty radio DJ on Loveline, and earned him his own nationally-syndicated self-titled FM radio show. Carolla dishes out stunning commentary on subjects that are a bane to the blue-collar man, paying tribute to their frustrations with brutally hilarious points that you may find yourself laughing at days afterwards.
The romantic plot is no welterweight addition, either, as it's fleshed-out over the course of the movie with simple, poignant and charmingly funny scenes. Carolla is no chauvinist, as the Man Show may have some thinking. Rather, he comes off as a clever, sometimes goofy guy with a sharp eye for humor and a large heart.
Playing the role of a public defender with a penchant for defending the defenseless, Heather Juergensen avoids stereotypes as the smart and respectable object of Carolla's romantic interest in the film. Heather believably keeps up with and parries Adam's intellectual jabs with her own observations frequently during The Hammer's enjoyable date scenes, earning her laughs.
If you're looking for an endearing, enjoyable, and genuinely funny feel-good comedy to add to your collection, a single 1 hour and 30 minute round is all you'll need with The Hammer to be knocked to the floor with gut-busting laughter. And when you're down for the count, the "Ace Man" (Carolla) will pick you back up with a high-brow and uplifting ending to this great L.A.-serenade of film.
Interested? Pick up "The Hammer" and support Carolla's movie career. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more greatness from him before the referee count reaches "10".
Movie Review: A smart funny man creates a classic independant film
Summary: 5 Stars
Adam Carolla commented that this movie was about an 8.5, but it had an extra likability and charm to it that other, equally satisfying movies on a technical level, do not have. That statement defines as well as possible the special affection that most viewers walk away from this film with. While an 8.5 is rare to find in theaters this day - or decade, there is something that connects with you when watching this film. Maybe it's due to the universal themes it tells in its story and the fact that it doesn't confine itself to one genre, or any tired production cliches.
In the tale of this main character's life, there are great laughs, tumultuous challenges, determinism, and humanity. It forgoes the mainstream movie model mold, to have the courage to flow between varying moods to best express these emotions and themes. One scene may have no laughs, while exploring romance or drama instead. Each aspect of this story is singularly richer due to that respect of the viewer's intelligence, while working in harmony when the time is right to create a wonderful and rare tapestry of composition, touching on many themes and emotions at once.
This film is composed with that fresh independence and it also looks the part. Far from a negative point, certain scenes clearly lack the Hollywood polish and relentlessly overproduced timing. There is a spirit of good friends, who happen to know what good comedy and good art is, getting together with their free time to put it on film - while done professionally and in skillful craft, it is not drowning in its own diluted stylism.
As I said, this film is not one genre more than the other; it's the life of a man who is middle aged and ready to take a chance, who luckily has a great sense of humor along the ride. In fact, I would place Adam Carolla's character in the same league as Woody Allen and Larry David in that incredibly difficult role of the self-depricating, worldly complainer, whom is still charming and never loses your affection. Beyond those legendary entertainers often portrayed roles, Carolla adds even more dimensions in his character, in the form of a man who knows when to be serious or romantic, in addition to that inviting wit and humor.
The Hammer is a movie that doesn't come along often. It may be about an 8.5 on paper, but there is an unbelievably fresh vitality and meaning that comes through above all else and earns your affection; also earning it a near perfect rating, due to it's universal draw and long-unseen unique delivery. It connects on a level that is reserved for our most beloved classic films. For that, it is an excellent film with a story you may be familiar with, but delivered with a passion and brilliant humanity the likes of which I've never seen, nor expect to again any time soon. Thank you, Adam Carolla, for sharing your love of the art with us and providing us that.
Movie Review: Wow! A good independent film for a change. A star is born.
Summary: 5 Stars
Adam Carolla's first effort as a filmmaker is at some point going to make him into a bonafide movie star. Carolla has that rare natural talent to be entertaining and spontaneously creative seemingly without effort. This movie does not have the look and feel of the typical independent movie. It has the look of a lot of studio polish; the acting and casting is spot on and the plot and story telling are first rate. It's a good story, well told - the essence of good writing with a proper beginning, middle, and ending.
It's amazing that all the elements came together in his first effort. It's much like a first novel when you are surprised it turns outs to be good. I'm looking forward to Carolla's next film. He's playing himself here and so is playing to his strength. A wise move. Whatever script he gets next time needs to accommodate Carolla's ability to come up with clever banter as he does daily in his morning radio show.
It would be neat if he got cast as a bad guy in a straight action or drama film just to see if he could act as someone other than himself. With his talent, I think it's a sure thing. It's probably an even surer bet that his next film will be a comedy and even better than this one. We're looking at a franchise actor in Adam Carolla. His star is about to rise even higher. Talent like this is appreciated because it is so rare.
The Hammer is a sure bet. The "R" rating is one of those quirks of the MPAA system. Any movie that contains the "F" word gets the "R" rating automatically. That word is uttered once and in a very humorous context. This isn't an offensive film by any reasonable standard. It's a good film and you probably haven't seen any good movies lately.
Movie Review: An Absolute Gem
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this DVD because I'm a longtime fan of Adam Carolla, but you don't have to be a fan to appreciate this absolutely priceless film. If you're expecting raunchy Man Show humor, you won't find it here. This is a sweet, inspiring, romantic comedy that equals The Wedding Singer for striking the perfect blend of quirky humor, likeable characters, and a fabulous feel-good ending.
The Hammer is a semi-autobiographical film about a middle-aged loser (Carolla's Jerry Ferro) who gets the chance to pursue his lifelong dream, a shot at the Olympic Boxing Team. The story is told beautifully with the help of a perfect cast of characters. Oswaldo Castillo, Carolla's real-life construction friend, is particularly likeable as Jerry's sidekick Ozzie. Castillo's Nicaraguan accent is so thick that he is often impossible to understand, which only makes the character more endearing. The uncredited cameo by Jane Lynch as the lesbian Jerry argues with at the hardware store is side splittingly funny.
Viewers from Southern California will no doubt appreciate some of the local humor and scenery, but you don't have to be from Los Angeles to enjoy Jerry's laugh out loud "date" at the LaBrea Tar Pits.
This film is rated R for "Brief Language," which amounts to the use of the F word once or twice. Other than that, this film is as wholesome as it gets. There is no nudity, sexual situations, violence, or excessive profanity. I would have no problem allowing a 12-year-old to watch this.
The Hammer is a story of friendship, love, and pursuing your dreams. May this film find the success on the small screen that it missed in its limited run theatrical release.
Movie Review: The Hammer Hits The Nail On The Head!
Summary: 5 Stars
Incredible! What a great movie! I went into this movie as a fan of Adam Carolla on the radio and I heard a lot of great things about The Hammer. I was a bit skeptical about it and thought that it would be a movie made by a celebrity to show off how great he is. What I got was exactly the opposite. This is a humble movie made by Mr. Carolla and sure it is very funny, but what makes this movie so great is that it has heart. It's a true story about the underdog. You don't need to like boxing to enjoy this movie, you don't even need to like Adam Carolla. This is instantly one of my favorite movies of all time and I have to own it. I don't understand why it is rated R... it just doesn't make sense to me. There really isn't anything in this movie that I would feel weird about my 6 year old daughter seeing. There is no nudity or violence (other than the sport of boxing, which is filmed very well and balanced). This movie should easily be rated PG. This is a great movie for a guy... or a great movie for a date night... or a great movie to watch with your kid in front of the TV while you eat dinner on a Friday night. I love this movie so much and can't say enough good things about it. Well done Adam Carolla! You have created a movie from your heart and it is brilliant, funny and moving. Easily the best movie I have seen all year long. The Hammer should get a trillion stars.