Ray is surprised he enjoyed THE HAMMER DVD!

By Ray DeRousse / July 1, 2011

Available at Amazon for $15.99 from June 24th 2008! I have never been able to really appreciate ADAM CAROLLA as a comedian. While I think he's intelligent and mildly humorous, there was always something unappealing about his slouching, whiny presence that distracted me from laughing. I always thought Carolla must have skulked backwards into a career in entertainment. Apparently, most film fans agree with me, because Carolla's big screen feature THE HAMMER came and went in theaters last March while barely managing to earn a few thousand bucks. That's a shame, because THE HAMMER is a surprisingly good comedy. The film follows a washed up ex-boxer-turned-construction-worker named Jerry Ferro (Carolla), who quits his lousy job on his fortieth birthday. His slacker attitude and lack of motivation causes his girlfriend to leave him, too. Only his good friend Ozzie (OSWALDO CASTILLO), a Nicaraguan immigrant, stands beside him through all of his troubles. While Jerry is working out at the boxing gym, he is discovered by a coach for the American Olympic team, who wants Jerry to compete for a spot due to his powerful left hook dubbed "The Hammer." The film has an unusual comedic rhythm. Some of that can be attributed to some lazy and sloppy direction on the part of CHARLES HERMAN-WURMFELD. But, like a good boxer, those rhythms also allow for surprising comedic jabs and a few knockout lines. Carolla has a laid-back, droning comedic style that suits the material nicely. His Jerry is a slacker and a loser, but you genuinely like the guy and want him to succeed. Helping Carolla are several improvised scenes that allow his natural wit to take flight, and you can sense his relief at being freed from the script onscreen; particularly fun are small scenes like the one at the L.A. tar pits, or an argument over a check in a restaurant, that feel fresh and alive. Carolla also develops potent chemistry with his bright cast. His interactions with Castillo are warm and truthful, which is no surprise given that the two performers have been best friends for nearly twenty years. Also terrific is HEATHER JUERGENSEN as the potential love interest for Carolla's Jerry; cute but not drop-dead gorgeous, Juergensen's character instead appeals with a bevy of clever lines and snappy delivery. They have a realistic build-up of romance throughout the picture. While not a "laugh out loud" comedy, the film is very engaging and enjoyable; you might find yourself chuckling and smiling a lot more than you'd imagine. And the film hits surprising emotional notes, including two terrific knockouts at the end: one involves a decision on the part of Jerry during a crucial match with a fellow boxer, and the other is a sweet gesture involving candles in order to win the heart of his girlfriend. I was honestly shocked at the emotional potency of this film. Seek it out. You will be surprised. And I say this as a non-fan of Adam Carolla ... or, rather, a FORMER non-fan. It will win you over. EXTRAS Unsurprisingly, there is little here. We have a pretty good commentary track from Carolla and writer Kevin Hench that is informative and fun. We also get a long and poorly-recorded conversation with Carolla and long-time friend Castillo about the semi-autobiographical nature of the flick. We also get some fairly silly promotional segments about the film, revealing some of the reasons why the film failed to dent the box office. Other than that, not too much here. OVERALL This is the definition of "sleeper comedy." I urge you to check it out if you're in the mood for something offbeat, fun, and clever.