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FIST FIGHT – Review – We Are Movie Geeks

Review

FIST FIGHT – Review

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A showdown’s a’ comin’! Not on the main street of Dodge City, but at the multiplex once again. The final throw down between the hero and villain has been a staple of cinema since its earliest days, mainly in action films and primarily the western. There have been countless screen versions of that infamous incident , the gunfight at the O.K. Corral (the most famous being the Kirk Douglas/Burt Lancaster 1950’s classic) . This most likely inspired many other “oaters”, the most celebrated being the iconic 1952 HIGH NOON (which garnered an Oscar for star Gary Cooper). It’s set in real-time as the clock ticks to 12, while Will Kane readies himself for the arrival of the Miller gang. We’ve seen this plot used in many other genres, providing extra excitement to the final acts of every movie hero’s exploits from Rocky to Bond to Batman. But it’s also been seen in comedies, with this new film taking place in a high school. Could this be a remake/reboot of the thirty year cult classic from Phil Joanou, THREE O’CLOCK HIGH? Not exactly, since that flick concerned two students in a violent conflict. This time it’s two very different teachers from the same school preparing to square off in a FIST FIGHT.

 

It’s the last day of school before Summer vacation at run-down Roosevelt High, but English teacher Andy Campbell (Charlie Day) isn’t celebrating his three-month break. He’s under pressure at the start of this day, and things go downhill fast. He’s got to rush out at 2:30 to be part of his pre-teen daughter’s song and dance routine at her grade school talent show. His wife Maggie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) could give birth any second. He fears that he may lose his job due to massive budget cuts (big meeting with the principal and the superintendent). And to top it off the graduating seniors are in full prank mode (they even stole a horse that’s dashing through the hallways). But the big problem comes out of nowhere when the surly intimidating history teacher Mr. Strickland (Ice Cube) asks Andy to help him with some faulty AV equipment. At that class, Andy sees Strickland lose his temper (a desk becomes kindling). The two men are called into Principal Tyler’s (Dean Norris) office, but Strickland isn’t worried since he told Andy that teachers stick together. Then Tyler threatens their jobs and Andy tells the truth about the melt- down. Strickland is fired and as he boxes up his stuff he tells Andy to be in the parking lot at 3 PM where they will settled things with a fist fight. Andy believes it’s a joke, but Strickland is dead, dead serious. As the hours fly by, a very nervous Andy implores his faculty friends, Coach Crawford (Tracy Morgan), who’s just finished another losing season, and guidance counselor in great need of guidance Holly (Jillian Bell), for any advice. Soon, he’s in panic mode doing everything he can, legally or not, to avoid that confrontation. As “high mid-afternoon” approaches, it looks like the mismatched pair will square off in an epic battle royale’.

 

 

After honing his comic skills on TV (the cult hit “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and supporting roles (HORRIBLE BOSSES, THE HOLLARS, PACIFIC RIM, VACATION) Day makes the most of this, his first true lead role. Based on his energetic work here, I’m sure it will be the first of many. He’s got a real “everyman” vibe, which adds strength to his scenes of slapstick panic. There’s the twitching, the awkward body language, and best of all that voice. When he’s truly agitated or trying to lie his way out, his high-pitched voice jumps several octaves until it’s almost a strained squeak, His exasperated hero is a worthy successor to the energetic mania of the much-missed Gene Wilder (with maybe a dash of Don Knotts). Even as he concocts some devious scheme, the guy’s still so darned lovable that we can’t help but root for him. Ice Cube is an inspired antagonist for him as the human embodiment of an about-to-erupt volcano. His glowering grimacing Strickland intimidates students and faculty alike, as they try to get out of his way before he explodes. Scary as he is, Cube makes this guy really funny. After family friendly work in his BARBERSHOP and ARE WE THERE YET roles, he seems to relish this return to the “bad dude” persona.

 

Happily the combatants don’t get all the fun (or score all the laughs). That scene stealing Ms. Bell (22 JUMP STREET, THE NIGHT BEFORE) dashes away with several inspired sequences, whether trying to downplay her enthusiasm for illegal substances or justify a crush on a student (all of which horrify Day). Like Day she’ll soon be breaking out into leading roles (playing the Hanks roles in a rumored remake of SPLASH), giving Melissa McCarthy some competition as the queen of movie comedies. Another source of great supporting gags is the always surprising Morgan who’s endearing goofy as the clueless coach. His baffling bits of “wisdom'” confuse Day, until the coach lays down a heavy bit of truth, refusing to sugarcoat what will happen if the battle happens. And somehow Morgan brings a mischievous joy to the role. Norris is an excellent “short fuse” straight man as the beleaguered principal doing a “slow burn” that would make the immortal Edgar Kennedy proud (Google him, folks). Unfortunately the other ladies in the cast are not as well served by the script as Bell. The movies just don’t seem to know what to do with the talented Christina Hendricks (so wonderful on TV’s “Mad Men”). After a dismal role in BAD SANTA 2, she’s wasted here once more as the bombshell French teacher who’s really a sadist (she gleefully offers her blade to gut Andy like a fish). Swisher is yet another “wife on the phone” who looks concerned while we wait for the big birthing scene. And Kumail Nanjinai. so funny as the randy masseuse in last year’s MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES, has little to do as the ineffectual school security officer.
Making his feature film directing debut, after toiling in the TV trenches, Richie Keen proves to be an adept comedy conductor. Like a film veteran he knows how to steer our eyes toward the funny during sequences of mass comedy chaos. Beside eliciting some terrific performances, he knows how to control the flow, whether slowing things down a bit to revel in some inspired wordplay (Holly:” Meth’s more of a gateway drug.” Andy: “No, it’s really the finish line!”) or to accelerate as the senior pranks “amp up” (the mariachi band is a great running gag). Unfortunately he’s tripped up (as are many comedy film makers) by the dreaded lull around the midway mark. Perhaps the script (based on a story by “new Girl” star Max Greenfield and others) needed a bit more polish and another “once over”. This would’ve helped define some characters and trimmed some of the numbing barrage of “f-bombs” and genitalia jokes (to ensure that R-rating, I suppose). As with the recent dud, THE COMEDIAN, they resort to the cheap shock of  us hearing a foul-mouthed pre-teen. Much worse than the earlier film and just as lazy. But the first and third acts are so strong, it’s inevitable that the second act would drag. Fortunately the big battle lives up to the long build-up with inspired bits of slapstick, although it never goes “human cartoon” like the 60’s gem THE ADVENTURES OF BULLWHIP GRIFFIN ( a Saturday matinée delight). The talented cast and the laugh-stuffed opening and finale more than make up for its flaws (it could’ve been another MASTERMINDS…yeesh!). It never scores a TKO, but FIST FIGHT delivers some solid strikes to the funny bone.

3.5 Out of 5

 

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Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.