HERE COMES THE BOOM

year: 2012 cast: Kevin James, Henry Winkler rating: ***1/2

While some aspects of HERE COMES THE BOOM share similar bad traits of the newer HAPPY MADISON productions… side characters trying hard to be endearing and jokes falling flat… this is actually pretty darn good.

We begin with our underdog slob Scott Voss late for work – Kevin James looks the part of a guy whose best days are far behind him. He races to work on a motorcycle but he’s not the person to center on. Henry Winkler, who has become a revised icon in the Adam Sandler universe, plays an energetic MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS style music teacher who might lose his job… The school’s funds are dead and now we’ll cut to the chase: Voss, hanging out with one of his night school foreign students, realizes he could even make bank if he loses a UCF competition. For those unaware, this is a cross between martial arts, boxing, and gladiator death matches: and we all know the tubby underdog hasn’t a prayer – and that’s what makes this really work.

The scenes where Voss trains, whether in montage form or part of various fights leading up to the big match, are both involving and funny. Although nothing really hilarious occurs in this feel-good sports comedy that tanked at that box office, you’ll be shocked at just how entertaining it is. While James is never quite sure what his comedic niche entails… throwing dry sarcastic barbs one minute and being a sappy friendly dolt the next… he’s got the right fighting spirit throughout.