Those who are not quite in tune with sports may find it difficult to not only watch sports, but also have trouble watching movies about sports, as there is commonly a theme that only sports lovers can appreciate. However, some movies revolved around various sports have a very unique quality that anyone can appreciate, and that is soul. Some movies come to mind that have soul like “Rocky”, “Field of Dreams”, or “Remember the Titans”. These movies are almost always drama-related, so how did Kevin James’s new comedy “Here comes the Boom” do? Did it have soul?
Kevin James places a school teacher by the name of Scott Voss. Scott’s school has recently hit a considerable amount of debt, causing the need to shut down a number of extra-curricular activities including music. Because Scott is good friends with Marty Streb (Henry Winkler), the music teacher, he didn’t want to see the man lose his job. So he decides that instead of firing these hard-working teachers, he would raise the money himself. The only problem was that he needed to raise $48,000. While tutoring a number of immigrants for their citizenship, one student and former UFC fighter named Niko (Bas Rutten) gives him the idea to enter into mixed martial-arts, where if he makes it to the UFC ring, just losing will make him ten grand. So the unlikely teacher sets out to save his school and his friends.
So his plan is to lose a number of games until he has enough money to save the school. Already we know it won’t be as simple as that, and it isn’t. So the predictability level in this particular film is pretty high, but as mentioned above, this movie actually has soul. It has a clear purpose, and a respectful one. Scott is being completely selfless and is putting himself in the crossfires of brutal pain in order to save something he loves. It’s all about heroes, as you will clearly make out when watching the film. Is it as epic or as memorable as the aforementioned movies? Not even a little bit, but it will earn your respect.
Also remember that this is a comedy. You might have to remind yourself more often than not, because the story is actually dramatic. It has the look of a comedy and feel of a drama. There are moments where you may actually laugh out loud at Kevin James’s unique sense of humor, but when something is so near and dear to your heart, it’s hard to pull off as many laughs as maybe the movie intended there to be. Kevin Smith is a very good actor when it comes to mixing both comedy and drama, as he has been seen doing on his sitcom a few years back, “The King of Queens”, and several of his movies since. Henry Winkler is always a joy to watch, even if he wasn’t playing the best role he ever has, he was the heart of the film. There really was no romantic chemistry between James and Salma Hayek, but at least the film does not pull all of the focus onto that side story.
What is really important to note here is that fans and nonfans can appreciate and respect the movie for what it is, regardless of whether or not they watch the sport. In fact, you may be surprised to witness yourself clenching your fists and gritting your teeth to find out what will happen. It may be predictable, but it is a joy to watch.
All in all, don’t think of this as a comedy even though it clearly looks like one. It’s more story than comedy and it has a good amount of soul. In the long run, it may be forgettable, but enjoy it while you can, because it does have a good message. Check out “Here Comes the Boom” when it is released on Blu-Ray and DVD on Feb. 5!
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