Film Festival flick “The Hammer” features Adam Carolla, as lead and writer playing a 40 year old former Boxer attempting to make it to the Olympics.
The “Rocky” formula has been recycled in many different arenas, but “The Hammer” might come the closest to matching the tone of the original “Rocky.”
The film hardly could be credited with breaking any new ground, but it has a hangdog charm, much like its leading actor. Radio humorist Adam Carolla, who also provided the original story, stars as Jerry Ferro, a construction worker who has just turned 40 and feels his life slipping away.
He was an amateur boxer years ago, and he teaches a boxing class at a local gym. When a promoter spots him, he invites Jerry to compete for a spot on the American Olympic team, and Jerry sees a chance to redeem himself.
This does sound a lot like the overall plot of Rocky Balboa, and it is not surprising to see that paralell made. The interesting thing is that the observation was considered a good thing.
This film festival contender (see what I did there?? Huh??) looks like something I might want to catch.
I find as an aging father of two, I miss my younger days and I really feel old sometimes. Im 35. Its the Hollywood “Children of the Corn” philosophy of discarding things that are “old”. Hell, even the fact that I referenced Children of the Corn will likely go over some reader’s head!!
It is nice to see this new breed of movies with older people finding value in their lives. Life doesn’t end at 25. Honest.
I listen to Adam in the morning, and I do like the format of his radio show. His comedy style is a sort of salt of the earth. It’s too bad a major distributor didn’t pick this up; also, this film wasn’t in Sundance. It probably won’t play here, but I’ll pick up the DVD.