Here Comes the Boom

Here Comes the Boom is a winner as a feel-good movie. 

 

Kudos to Kevin James for taking on the role of a lackadaisical teacher Scott Voss, who is inspired to help out a music teacher Marty Streb (played by Henry Winkler), who faces being fired because budget cuts are ending extracurricular activities like the school orchestra.  

 Voss becomes a mixed martial arts cage fighter to raise the money to keep his friend, whose 48-year old wife is pregnant, employed.

 The fact the big man trained for this role is inspiring in itself and his character’s actions, ultimately, inspire us, as well.  In an age where art-related extracurricular activities are being cut from schools, it requires us to think about what we might do to stop that from happening.

 

But as good as James and Winkler are, it is apt that the music theme is a majorpart of this film because Salma Hayek as Bella Flores makes the screen positively sing whenever she appears.  And, though her performance is on a plane above everyone else’s, she has the relaxed air that doesn’t show off her superior talent.  She draws everyone, including the audience, in on the fun she is having with this collaboration.

The excellent upporting cast of actors, especially Bas Rutten as Voss’s trainer Niko and Charice Pempengo as Voss’s smartest student Malia, are smartly directed by Frank Coraci (Click, The Wedding Singer).

Though the fight scenes may be a bit much for some children under 8, this is a family movie that will make you walk out with a big smile on your face.

I give Here Comes the Boom a 4 out of 5 overall, with Salma Hayek getting a big 5.