Movie: Fist Fight
My Rating: 3 stars
I really like Charlie Day. His dark sense of humor is right up my alley. So, whenever I learn that he’s involved in any kind of movie or TV project, I’m always in. So, of course I was interested in this movie where he’s in a less-than-professional faceoff with Ice Cube. The two actors play rival high school teachers. The school board is making cuts, and one of these gentlemen is going to be let go at the end of the year. The decision doesn’t necessarily hinge on the outcome of this little tussle that Day and Cube have planned, but tensions are so high, that a brawl going to go down nonetheless.
Charlie Day really is the best thing about this movie. He always plays such harried characters. He’s always at his wits end. And, it’s always very fun watching his inevitable meltdown. But, that’s kind of all this movie has going for it. Except for his performance, this really is just like any other dark comedy about high school teachers who hate their jobs and their students. And, there really are a lot of them out there. Or, maybe I just have a particular weakness for this kind of story, and have just rented a lot of them. But, you’ve seen all this material before—the pathetic teacher that none of the kids respect, his harpy wife, the hard-ass teacher that all the students are afraid of, the sexually inappropriate guidance counselor who’s lusting after all the sports boys, the asshole principal, a whole fleet of students with faces in need of a good punching. There’s really no new ground. So, we’re left just waiting for the ultimate fist fight, as promised by the title. And, fortunately we get a pretty satisfying one.
I liked this movie well enough. Not enough to actively recommend it to anyone, mind you. But, I guess I’d tell you to watch it if you like Charlie Day as much as I do. He’s a treasure and always a joy to watch. Plus, Ice Cube is an admirable opponent. He doesn’t have an incredibly broad range as an actor. I think he’s pretty much only ever played versions of himself in movies. But, I enjoy his performances. And, perhaps that’s exactly what Charlie Day is doing as well. So, I’m not complaining. This movie is light, and irreverent. But, it’s probably not worth going out of your way for unless you’re really at a loss for what to watch.