The Hammer

This is a very likeable, root-for-the-underdog, feel-good movie that everyone can like. One could mistakenly think that was a description of "The Karate Kid," but it applies equally well to "The Hammer."In fact, there are many parallels between "Karate Kid" and "The Hammer." They both have underdog fighters as their protagonists, they both have boy-meets-girl love stories, they both have wisecracking older fighters mentoring a younger fighter, and they both culminate in fight tournament, feel-good climaxes. And while neither movie is high art, they are both lighthearted, humor-filled romps that stand up to repeated viewings.The protagonist, Jerry Ferro, is played by Adam Carolla, and is loosely based upon his own experiences as a carpenter/boxing instructor before he broke into the entertainment industry on "Loveline" and "The Man Show." Imagine Karate Kid's Daniel-san becoming a 40-year old, sharing all his Miyagi-taught wisdom with a younger fighter, while simultaneously training for a comeback fight tournament, and you have a basic template for Ferro.Thanks to his real life boxing background, Carolla brings a great sense of realism to the boxing, and especially the rope skipping scenes. His dramatic skills aren't as impressive, though one could argue that Ferro is intentionally written to emulate Carolla's real life, semi-stiff affect. If that was the intent, then I'd have to concede that Carolla's performance is spot-on perfect (since it wouldn't be an act at all). In any case, half of Ferro's lines are Carolla-isms delivered in his real life comedian style, so this slightly weak link is generally not noticeable.In "The Karate Kid," the weakest link is probably the boy-girl love story. "The Hammer," on the other hand, has a pretty compelling love story thanks to great writing, and a strong performance by the love interest played by Heather Juergensen. And it's really hard to not admire "the candle scene" (I won't make this a spoiler by saying any more than that).That being said, the movie's greatest strength is its humor. You rarely have to go more than a minute or two between laughs. A movie that sends you on your way with a belly full of laughs, and a warm fuzzy feeling about underdogs catching a break is a can't-miss combo. Like I said earlier, this is not high art, so I'm giving it 4-stars instead of 5. But don't let that deter you from seeing this -- Karate Kid is also only 4-stars, and you sure wouldn't want to have missed that one, right?

I found out about this movie completely by accident, while searching Amazon for items related to Adam Carolla, of whom I am a big fan. I knew nothing about this movie before seeing it, and to tell the truth my expectations were quite low.The movie is, however, much better than I would have thought. Fans of Adam Carolla will have little to complain about, as the movie features great doses of his characteristic black wit. The script is also quite decent.The movie is not without its problems, however. It asks the viewer to take it seriously in areas where it really has no business doing so.First of all, Adam Carolla is one of those people like Steve Martin or Conan O'Brien, who have been sarcastic wags in the public eye so effectively and for so long that by this point it's impossible to take them seriously in a formal dramatic role. And that's the surprising part about this movie: by and large it is a straight movie, complete with a romantic interest and an uplifting ending. I was fully expecting the movie to have some sort of bitter, misanthropic conclusion; what I was not expecting was that the movie in many respects would be so conventional and straightforward. And when you have a guy like Adam Carolla who has spent so much of his professional career spouting off on subjects as unsavory as bodily fluids and nether regions, it's virtually impossible to let the movie work whatever effect it was aiming at.The other area in which it is difficult to take the movie seriously is a core plot point: the fact that the aging Carolla is in fact a gifted boxer and invariably strikes down formidable foes is, well, a bit tough to swallow. Once or twice would have been okay, but dozens and dozens in a row? That was getting ridiculous, and the sight of it made it difficult to take the movie seriously in other areas.So, in conclusion, not a great film but one certainly worth two hours of your time. If you're a Carolla fan, however, it's worth watching twice just so you can get the full dollop of his wit.

For Adam Carolla fans, this is a Great movie. It has heart and Ozzie was a fun addition, RIP. It is a movie everyone should love, but some will say they do not because they disagree with his politics. It is sad that our society does that these days.

I used to love listening to Adam Carolla on Loveline back in the late 90's, so I consider myself a fan. Still, though, I was really impressed with this movie. He's not a great actor, but he is better than I expected him to be. He's definitely good enough that it doesn't distract from the movie. I would say the same about the budget of the movie. Obviously it was a low budget film, but it's a movie about people not cgi, so it being low budget doesn't really factor in much.The movie itself is, I guess, a romantic comedy, but it's kind of man's romantic comedy. Carolla's character is getting back into boxing at the age of 40, and he's spent a lot of time working construction. The film has a lot to offer "masculine" men who usually don't like romcoms geared more toward women. Much of the dialogue in this movie is about construction (what kind of trowel to use, what kind of screws to use, etc) and boxing (how to use your lower body to create more power behind your punches). My husband, who does work construction, really liked the movie.Along with all that, however, the movie does focus on the love life of the character. One girl leaves him and he's trying to start a new relationship. I thought the emotional parts were handled well and, for the most part, didn't seem too cheesy.My favorite thing about the movie was that it was genuinely funny without being hackneyed. I laughed out loud many times. And even though, a summary of it, may make the plot seem somewhat clichéd, the dialogue seems genuine and fresh. I found the characters believable and likeable.

Excellent movie even if you are not into boxing. A hidden gem of a film.

See this film. It has an independent feel, and some great gags, but it's primarily a heartwarming story of a guy struggling against the everyday grey to get that second or third or fourth chance at doing something that just isn't grey. Adam Carolla is funny whatever he does, but he's really a talented guy all around.

I'm a big fan of Adam Carolla, so I wanted to see his movie. It's pretty average--though he's an excellent stand-up comedian and podcast host, he's not a very good actor. There are some pretty amusing parts--not wildly hilarious, but neither is it painfully bad. It's cheap, so not a huge investment for a couple of hours of entertainment.

This is a hard movie to describe, because Adam Carolla chose to write a clever and hilarious movie that blends a few genres, and reinvents them at the same time. Highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates the courage it takes to make an independent movie that is different from all the garbage that studios put out - different, in a good way. :)

I finally watched this and it is a great funny movie.The movie is a better version of most Rom-Coms and "Loser makes good" films.The actors actually seem like real people vs. cast members.

A very very underrated comedy that didn't get the attention it deserved. Adam Carolla pulls out a terrific performance as down on his luck former boxer turned carpenter Jerry Ferro who gets one last shot at glory. Highly recommended.