Here Comes the Boom

Here Comes the Boom is an action comedy about a teacher who decides to

compete in MMA matches to save his school's music department. Scott Voss is a

lackluster high school science teacher who sits around and reads the newspaper

instead of instructing his kids. One day the school's principal announces that due to

budgetary constraints the music program will not be carried during the next school

year. This means veteran music teacher Marty will be out of a job. Mr. Voss

commits to finding a way to raise the $48,000 to save the music program. He vows

to raise the necessary money with the help of the other teachers.

However, the only people who show up to the brainstorming session Marty puts

together are Voss and Bella, the school nurse who Voss has been unsuccessfully

trying to rope into a date for years. Voss, fairly certain it's a hopeless endeavor,

goes back to teaching nighttime citizenship classes for some extra scratch, where

he meets boisterous Dutch immigrant Niko. Impressed by Niko's passion, Voss

agrees to meet him at his house to help him study, where he finds Niko and his

associates watching the UFC bout.

While watching the UFC at Niko's apartment, Scott learns that the loser of the fight

receives $10,000, which gives him the idea of raising the money by fighting in

MMA himself. Niko begins training him defense, and later brings him to another

trainer, Mark to train for offense. While Mark trains with Scott, Malia, one of Scott's

students and a band member, helps Niko study for his citizenship test by putting

the information into songs. Scott then begins fighting in small MMA fights and

gradually gaining higher amounts of money for the school.

Scott eventually gets a dinner date with the school nurse, Bella and they share

many moments together showing much affection for each other, while Scott's

passion for teaching is rekindled. Scott and his crew travel to the MGM Grand Las

Vegas for the UFC event. Once he arrives, he learns that the teacher entrusted

with the musical program funds has been embezzling both from the winnings and

the school, meaning all his effort so far has been lost. Knowing he can get $50,000

if he wins the fight, he attempts to win rather than lose and earn the $10,000.

The publicity of Scott's slow rise to fame has grown, and the school has come to

support him. The musical program plays his representative song, and Marty

reminds Scott that even if he does not win, he has inspired the students, which is

their real purpose. Scott at first is no competition to his dangerous opponent,

Deitrich, who is angered that his original opponent canceled and that he is stuck

with a man that "does not deserve" to be at the UFC fight. After finding inspiration

from the students after being disoriented, Scott manages to win the UFC fight,

earning $50,000 for his victory. Scott and Bella kiss through the chain link fence of

the octagon. Eric becomes the chef for her father's resturaunt, which improves the

business, so Malia's father is thankful to Scott. Once Malia sings at the UFC fight to

represent Scott on TV, her father realizes that music is her true passion and is

proud of her. In the closing scene, Niko and all of the students in Scott's citizenship

class are awarded American citizenship at the citizenship ceremony.

reflection

Here Comes the Boom with Kevin James is a cute and inspirational movie about a

Biology teacher stepping in to the world of MMA fighting to help save the Band

teacher’s job. In the beginning, Scott Voss has lost his passion for teaching. There

is this great moment when he hears the band playing and looks almost inspired

but he just shows how unmotivated he is in the end. The teachers are called to a

teacher’s meeting and they are informed of the budget problems their school is

facing. Their school is strapped for cash, very reflective of so many of our schools

current state, and of course all extra-curricular are being dropped. He asks how

much it would cost to save the program and vows to raise the money. As the

movie progresses he begins to get his passion back for teaching and becomes a

passionate teacher again. He inspires the students and the faculty. The whole

movie is heartwarming but there are some flaws from a teacher’s point of view.

The movie is a combination of hope, humor and heart. After a somewhat slow start,

the movie wins the audience over and pulls them into this story of a man with a

mission. Seeing how dedicated Voss is to raising the money, and how he gains

support from the people around him makes for a rousing and heartwarming film.

The story is a typical underdog tale with comedy, but enough heart to keep you

rooting for Scott throughout the whole film. Gone is the usual over the top bumbling

funny fat guy, in its place was a cooler everyman that works perfectly for this story.

I enjoyed the movie. It made you want to jump on your desks to engage your

students! Which as a side note I wouldn’t try, most desks wouldn’t support you and

you’d probably really hurt something! Teachers do get rundown by the system like

the main character did and we do sometimes need to be reminded to inspire our

students. With the atmosphere of our schools right now because of the pressure of

high stakes testing and showings student growth and our budget problems,

sometimes we need to be inspired to inspire!