The Hammer

2008 Comedy

Can a guy edging into middle age become a success fighting guys half his age? That's the big question behind this independent comedy. Jerry Ferro (Adam Carolla) is almost 40 years old, and he's spent most of his life going nowhere -- and taking his own sweet time getting there. While Jerry enjoyed some success as an amateur boxer when he was young, these days he's out of shape, drinks too much, and scrapes by working in construction. Through his work as a handyman, Jerry has landed a part-time job teaching boxing at a gym in Pasadena, though none of his students are likely to ever move beyond sparring as a hobby. One day, one of Jerry's old friends, Eddie Bell (Tom Quinn), stops by the gym with a promising new fighter he's training. Since he's short on sparring partners, Eddie asks Jerry to step into the ring with the young boxer, and while it's clear that Jerry is in lousy shape and out of practice, he also manages to knock out the challenger with one well-placed punch. Eddie is convinced Jerry still has what it takes, and offers to help Jerry make a comeback, confident that despite his age he can land him a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. Also starring Heather Juergensen, The Hammer received its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. more..

Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld

Starring: Adam Carolla, Heather Juergensen, Oswaldo Castillo,Tom Quinn, Constance Zimmer

Reviews

  • Nothing groundbreaking, but there's an easy charm in the movie.

    Walter Addiego - The San Francisco Chronicle

    19 January 2013

  • It's genuinely funny, oddly romantic and surprisingly engaging for what could easily have been an obnoxious vanity project.

    Maitland McDonagh - TV Guide

    19 January 2013

  • What you have here, essentially, is a classic "Honeymooners" episode juiced with tropes from the most recent "Rocky" movie.

    Gene Seymour - Los Angeles Times

    19 January 2013

  • The script depends heavily on familiar stand-up comedy bits, but it's full of sharp wisecracks and slacker charm.

    Kyle Smith - New York Post

    19 January 2013

  • This inordinately likable and consistently funny boxing saga-cum-romantic comedy doesn't so much ridicule the "Rocky"-type inspirational sports fable as gently deflate its heroic overdrive.

    Ronnie Scheib - Variety

    19 January 2013

Awards

No awards