The Hammer (The Weinstein Company)

“Its also true that I have a hairy a–, but I don’t try to weave it into every conversation”

Adam Corolla is and always has been one hate-able a–hole. On Loveline, he had the approach of no group left behind, every caller was a potential victim of his scathing sarcasm. From “fat chicks” to “limp dicks,” he was loud, quick and mean. I was expecting Corolla’s film, The Hammer (2007), (for which he created the story, helped with the script and starred in) to be mostly below the belt humor going for the jugular with little to no heart and massive amounts of egoism. Approaching the film with such small expectations was appropriate, but wrong. I was totally blown away. This movie is hilarious, enjoyable and filled to the brim with heart. (emily)

In his pre-Loveline days, Adam Corolla was a boxer and a carpenter. He actually had his own remodeling show on TLC for hot minute back in 2005, called “The Adam Corolla Project.” His knowledge of both boxing and carpentry is integral in the creation of his protagonist, Jerry Ferra. It’s great to see Corolla in his element, arguing with a bull dyke (Jane Lynch!) in line at Home Depot about how to build a tool shed, and teaching a boxing class for women: “look at your fist as a package that needs to be delivered, and look at your thigh as the UPS truck.” The great thing about Corolla playing what he knows, is that we can’t tell if his acting is atrocious! He’s basically playing himself.

The Hammer starts out with Jerry turning 40. He’s doing contracting work for a boss he hates, along with his Mexican sidekick/assistant Ozzie (Oswaldo Castillo). After getting fired from his job for trickery Jerry goes to the gym where he teaches, to beg for an in-house carpentry job. He gets rejected by the owner but, as he is blowing off steam in the boxing ring, he gets discovered by the local Olympic boxing coach. Because of his amateur status, he gets invited to try out for the 2008 Olympics and train with the coach.

This is not a movie that is based on a bunch of silly physical humor and accidental happenstance that cause crazy combinations and confusion. The plot of this movie is built on the strongest of foundations: believable characters. The first great idea was to put Corolla in the center of a Spanish speaking foreign family and give him a heavily accented sidekick. This move automatically shakes you out of your understanding of Corolla as a holier than thou shock jock by immersing him in non-white culture. The second great move was to give him a great love interest with Lindsey Pratt, who is calm and clearly doesn’t need to fake being amused by Corolla’s banter. Together they are awkwardly hilarious and refreshingly normal looking.

The movie takes these basic ingredients and then pushes them into the classic mould of the Cinderella sports movie. I must say, it is a little bit Happy Gilmore (1996), and a lot Nacho Libre (2006). However, although the movie is reminiscent of some others of its kind, it is just as much its own movie. Adam Corolla neatly reinvents the genre, and even himself a little bit, in the name of good clean inspirational fun.

The movie could have easily turned into one long Corolla-esque rant, with pauses for plot along the way. Instead, it is the exact opposite. A great plot that brings Corolla to just the right place and gives him the perfect opportunities to lay down a few solid perfectly timed monologues. His bit about the tar pits in LA is particularly spot on: “Los Angeles is awesome, no professional football team, but all the fiberglass elephants you want.” He even gets into a little bit of race politics in an amusing way as he interacts with his co-competitor, “If I said blacks were better natural athletes you’d be pissed. If I said whites were better natural athletes, you’d be pissed. If I said we were the same, you’d be pissed. So screw it, you’re gonna be pissed.” This movie proves that if you bring Corolla to the right circumstance, and put him in the right context and let him go, his comedy can be pure gold, not just sexist, insensitive schlock. It shows that he doesn’t need to be x-rated to be hilarious.

I, literally, could have taken up this entire review with hysterical sound bytes from the movie. Every situation in the movie is punched up with Corolla’s dry humor, but it is so tendered to each situation, that it doesn’t bitter-ize the whole movie. In the film, when Corolla’s on a date he’s sensitive and wry, when he’s in the ring he’s feisty and raw, when he’s with Ozzie he’s conspiratorial and witty. The movie has the stamp of Corolla, but it doesn’t stink of him. This movie is an amazing example of how a comedian’s special qualities can be successfully mined to make an enjoyable film without it seeming like merely a re-branding (ala any of the “Blue Collar Comedy” offshoots). Can I ask that Kathy Griffin get this type of movie done for her?

What starts out as an approaching middle age dilemma, blossoms into a poignant dialogue on achieving your dreams later in life. The ending could not have been more satisfying. Hopeful, with a touch of romance, a bit of emotional idealism and a ton of male bonding, The Hammer has a morsel of love for everyone. Even people that want Adam Corolla to suck it. A

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