‘THE HAMMER’ REVIEW: Fighting for success, one match at a time

It’s difficult not to fall in love with The Hammer, an effective biopic about deaf UFC fighter Matt Hamill. It uses many movie cliches and finishes with a big wrestling match featuring swelling music and tearjerking moments, but, despite the formulaic structure of the plot, there is no denying that Hamill’s story is inspiring and educative. As an outsider in both the hearing and deaf communities, he grew up with many struggles and obstacles. The fact that he made it to the top rungs of his chosen sport should serve as a message to all audience members that goals can be achieved, no matter the difficulty.

It’s not too corny to say that Hamill and The Hammer can teach many people some worthy lessons.

The movie would miss much of its effectiveness if Russell Harvard weren’t involved. The actor plays Hamill during his high school wrestling career, when he had trouble finding a date to the prom, and his college wrestling career, when he faced the possibility of getting kicked off the team. The actor is able to bring Hamill to life with a believability and authenticity that feels true and ultimately proves emotional. We care about this character because he cares so much about succeeding; he’s the type of guy who loses a battle, but keeps his eye on the overall prize.

Raymond J. Barry has several nice scenes as Hamill’s grandfather, a man who pushed his deaf grandson toward educational opportunities in the hearing community, and Shoshanna Stern is likable as the girl who ultimately falls for the athlete in college. The supporting characters, including a very funny Michael Anthony Spady as Hamill’s roommate, are so strong that the script by Joseph McKelheer and Eben Kostbar gives them too much time and exposition. It takes many minutes before we see Hamill at work on the wrestling match, and after a while it proves somewhat frustrating that we can’t view the impressive athlete in action. For example, the entire sequence involving the main character’s botched senior prom feels overly sentimental and tedious.

Some will deride the movie for its sappy undertones, but with an open mind, The Hammer is satisfying and enjoyable.

One error is more difficult to forgive. Spoiler alert: Hamill did go on to win a national championship as a college wrestler, but his most famous athletic experience as a UFC fighter is largely missing from the narrative. There is not one professional bout featured in the 109-minute film. The entire story focuses on his high school and college years, leaving his professional mixed-martial-art action as a small bookend. One could argue that Hamill’s story is most poignant during his early years and not when he was bashing in heads for a living, but that feels like an unnecessary deletion from an impressive, well-rounded career.

The Hammer will likely fade into the distance as a biopic, but it achieves its goals, and then some. The greatest testament to a nonfiction movie is if the message and characters live on after the end credits. It’s hard to forget Hamill’s inspiring story.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• The Hammer

• 2011

• Directed by Oren Kaplan

• Written by Joseph McKelheer and Eben Kostbar

• Starring Russell Harvard, Raymond J. Barry, Shoshanna Stern, Michael Anthony Spady, Susan Gibney and Rich Frankling

• Running time: 109 minutes

• Rated PG-13 for some sexual material

• Rating: