Here Comes the Boom - Movie Review

I know I've said here a few times that I don't like a lot of new movies, but here's one I actually kind of liked!  Here Comes the Boom is a lightweight comedy, starring one of the funny, "heavyweight" comedians, Kevin James.  James plays Scott Voss, a disillusioned teacher just going through the motions - barely staying awake long enough to watch his students disinterest. 

James is a funny guy, best known for the sitcom The King of Queens.  In that series, he played Doug Heffernan, a roly poly regular guy.  Throughout the series, you keep wondering, "How in the world did this guy land that girl (Leah Remini, playing his wife).  Somehow, this works, and the interaction between the two makes for some funny moments.

James must live right, because his love interest in the movie is even further out of his league - Salma Hayek, dressed down and low key as the school nurse (Bella) who somehow falls for this lunk.  His cheesy attempts to pick her up fall flat - sometimes literally - and serve as good preparation for his later battles.

The plot revolves around a spur-of-the-moment vow from Voss to raise money and save his friend's job - as well as the music department.  Henry Winkler, far removed from his Fonzie days, is fine as a bumbling, slightly lost, relic.  Since Voss spoke without thinking, he's obligated to do something - he just has no idea what.  A chance viewing of a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bout leads him to pursue that avenue as the easiest way to raise some big bucks.  As a former college wrestler, Voss is sure he can handle it - a laughable belief, as it turns out. 

To enjoy this movie, you have to suspend your disbelief.  In the real world, chunky 40-somethings get killed if they tangle with younger, tougher opponents.  MMA is a brutal sport, much more violent and dangerous than boxing, and there's a very real possibility of permanent injury or death if you're over matched.  That being said, there's a bunch of funny moments in the fight scenes.  James got in shape for this role - although still chubby, he looks like he can handle himself OK.  Like most fight movies, you just accept what's happening, while remembering this is a movie, not a real fight.

Voss, with some help from his friend Niko (played with surprising ability by Bas Rutten), fights and loses, donating his purse to the cause.  When a lucky punch lets him win a fight, he realizes he could raise the money faster by actually winning now and then.  The fight scenes are not too violent, and the injuries inflicted are more funny than traumatic - this is a comedy, after all.  Chance and dogged determination lead Voss to the opportunity for a big-money fight.  I won't give the ending away, but if you don't know how this ends, you probably can't read this anyway.

It's dumb.  It's unbelievable.  It's unrealistic.  It's also funny and touching.  This movie appeals to the part of you that wants to believe we can be more than we are - the part of you that says, "I could step up, if I really needed to".  Like The Mighty Ducks, we love to watch the underdog beat the nasty guys.  If you want to laugh and have a good time at the movies, get a jumbo bucket of popcorn and enjoy.