Coming out swinging
School ‘Fist Fight’ packs comedic punch
‘Fist Fight” is a high-concept, intentionally outrageous comedy that somehow works.
It begins on Roosevelt High's last day before summer — aka Seniors' Prank Day — that, as everyone at this semi-rundown school can see, has gotten completely out of hand.
These seniors know no limits. First to go bonkers is hot-headed but dedicated teacher Ron Strickland (a glowering Ice Cube), whose volcanic rage culminates in a confrontation with another teacher, Charlie Day's Andy Campbell, a Mr. Nice Guy who just wants to get along.
Andy can't imagine Strickland is seriously challenging him to meet when school ends and physically punch each other out in the parking lot. Horrified and increasingly hysterical Andy discovers the whole school suddenly knows about the fight; everyone has an opinion, and other than running away, it's gonna happen.
Kinky, violence-loving Miss Monet (Christina Hendricks) dementedly can't wait to see Andy laid to waste. Coach Crawford (Tracy Morgan in a welcome return to the big screen following a near fatal accident) may be the losingest coach in Roosevelt's history, but he's ready for a match that promises to be more startling than the horse that is running around school hallways.
As if Andy's beleaguered day isn't grim enough, how will he show up for a promised father-daughter number at her grade school if he's unconscious?
“Fist Fight” is so engaging due to the large cast's total commitment to this lunacy, to debuting director Richie Keen's pacing and to the Van Robichaux/Evan Susser script that doesn't know when to stop, much less slow down.
Powering the proceedings is Andy's maniacal horror at physical violence that soon turns to despair and then human sacrifice — his.
Even better, in a movie about a fist fight, it supercedes expectations — only to top that with an adorably sick showstopper, one you'll doubtless be discussing afterward. (“Fist Fight” is rated R for many good reasons, most of them having to do with raunch, violence, language.) — cinesteve@hotmail.com