The Foot Fist Way

source: The Foot Fist Way

Offensive. Bad. So terrible they landed 4 seasons of Eastbound and Down on HBO. Too much profanity. Girlfriend not hot enough. Not enough acting. It's not like its their first project (oh, wait, was it?). Why give these Hollywood types (oh wait, are they?) the time of day or more money to make another (oh wait...) It's not like the lead, McBride, is one of 2 or 3 writers on this show and the other (oh wait...) I've read some positive comments about how people have run into this sort of martial arts instructor in real life. So, their research on the character isn't terrible. All the very bad reviews here show why most can't see past the flaws, to what a brand-new team doing something very original is capable of. Thankfully bad reviews are a dime a dozen and sometimes aren't enough to kill other projects. Its 2 thousand fifteen, people. A bad indie comedy isn't a tragedy, and a first project can be treated with a bit more kindness.

As a TaeKwonDo black belt I was hoping for a funnier flick... but this was just so over the top. Had the language not have been so bad it would have been tolerable. I don't know why they thought it was necessary to have so much foul language in the film when a curse word or two would have been enough to convey the scene. The plot was OK but it could have been so much better. I thought it could have been funny but it just wasn't. I was actually impressed though that the techniques and TKD were actually very good for a movie about TKD. Given the detail given to accuracy of forms and verbiage I hated to see punches to the head in the film. By the way: "Tae" means "foot" or "to strike with the feet". "Kwon" means "hand", or "to strike with the hand". "Do" means discipline, art, or way. Hence TaeKwonDo (foot-hand-way) means literally "the art of the feet and the hands" or "the art of kicking and punching". Different schools and/or styles may impose different variations on the formal definition however.

it's like napoleon dynamite meets spinal tap for the martial arts (specifically Tae Kwon Do) Our antihero is in a world all his own, a Tae Kwon Do instructor that drives like a bad-ass jerk, and he lives like he drives - stepping on those around him, oblivious to his effect on others. Well, not to give anything away - spoiler alert! - everything comes crashing down around him and it looks like all is lost. I think the acting was fine, it was a bit over the top and intentionally approached to feature somewhat 'natural reactions' to an over the top character. The wife, the hero, the antihero - these roles were exaggerated and I believe this is where the other comment about horrible acting came from. I still enjoyed the movie and was not put off or removed from the fantasy of the film. Yeah the wife wasn't the best actress but it didn't detract from her role and once you're into the movie these things are minor. I also thought Napoleon Dynamite was stupid until I watched it for a bit and the whole approach sunk in. It's about his redemption and growth through a trial, and his realization of what he does and is doing to others, and his turn around from the jerk to the teacher, trusted and confident. I thought it was a really funny film, a bit inspiring, and just all around good times. Maybe not everyone's type of humor but I really dug it. Give it a shot.

This movie will be funny if... 1.) You like Will Ferrell style of comedy 2.) You've taken martial arts for more than 1 year or so. I only watched the first half so far, but this movie is GREAT. The lead actor is HILARIOUS, his cocky ignorant attitude is OFF THE WALL FUNNY..... I just love movies like this.......it's going to be like Napolean Dynamite, you either Love it or Hate it, Period.... If you have a sarcastic style of comedy, or like other films by Adam McKay or Will Ferrell, you'll probably love this movie. It's just funny watching what the martial arts instructor will do next. ---- BTW: I cant believe there are people dumb enough to like Danny R. McBride in stupid movies like PineApple Express, but don't like him in THIS movie! Are you insane! Danny is A THOUSAND times funnier in this Foot Fist Way movie! I HATED Pineapple Express...seth rogen or whatever is NOT funny....the ending was great though. Danny is the new Will Ferrell though, no doubt.

Surprise hit comedies are generally the ones that feature a relatively under-exposed actor with great comedic talent in a central role. That is what Danny McBride as Fred Simmons is supposed to be. It's not a bad movie, but it scratches the surface of what it could be. It feels like "The Foot Fist Way" is the very long pilot of a TV series that didn't get picked up: like there was something more that needed to happen and characters that needed to be developed. The film is a small character-driven comedy created by a trio of friends who have been nurtured by the Will Ferrell and Adam McKay screwball character movie teat. Danny McBride, the star, Jody Hill, director and supporting actor and Ben Best, supporting actor, all wrote the story of Simmons, a tae kwan do instructor in Alabama who's full of himself yet humbly insecure. There's really no plot until halfway through the movie, giving it that episodic "this should be broken up into smaller, fleshed out parts" feel. Supporting characters jump in and out rather than contribute to a flowing narrative. The only thing that stays solid is the rocky relationship subplot between Simmons and his tall-built bimbo wife (a rather untalented Mary Jane Bostic). Admirably, these three amigos try and create a character for McBride that is both a verbal machine gun of ridiculous phrases and someone who uses that same egotistical technique to work out his emotional problems. In other words, someone who is supposed to be hilarious but self-revealing at the same time -- a complex goofball. Their first trial run is hit or miss on the comedic end and just short on creating a meaningful character. McBride is capable, but they don't really push the concept hard enough. A glorified TV episode might be all it is, but there's talent in this group of aspiring comedy filmmakers.

--> I normally don't do reviews but believe me people this movie is a torture. READ NEXT SENTENCE --> I watched this movie just seeing its genre. READ NEXT SENTENCE --> The whole movie was made like a Awful documentary. READ NEXT SENTENCE --> There is nothing funny in the whole movie. READ NEXT SENTENCE --> Its true that it shows the reality. READ NEXT SENTENCE --> But,who wants to watch a comedy that 'll give u a f...... Head ache?

A karate (okay, tae kwon do) instructor (Danny McBride) loses it when his wife is found to be unfaithful ... and then he does something. You know, like flip out. On his students. This film came to me sadly over-recommended. I mean, not really highly recommended, but even moderately was just too much. There was some "I heard it was good", and it was to go along with "Pineapple Express", which I enjoyed. But this just wasn't really that funny. At all. Sure, it had a few good moments. A kid gets beat up, there's a poor Chuck Norris knock-off. But this just isn't all that good. That's all I even really want to type. Disposable film. Do yourself a favor and watch films not starring Danny McBride. He's a fine cameo or bit player but not a lead.

If you're looking for dumb kind of humor like in "anchorman" or "zoolander" , or any of Adam Sandlers stuff you will be disappointed - this low budget flick is completely different - kinda a gulp of fresh air I must say - it's truthful, believable and even artsy to some degree. Most of jokes are concentrated on deep sarcasm and irony and if that's your cup of tee - I think you'll love it like I did. This movie shows you that you don't need to go over the top to be funny and you don't need to follow clichés to bring up some message. Of-course, it has some pretty dumb moments by itself, but they come just at the right time and don't ruin the atmosphere at all. I'm not saying that it's a masterpiece, but I think it is at least worth checking out. I would recommend it if you have some spare time to waste.

This is the type of movie that gets funnier each time you watch it, just like The Big Lebowski. It takes a while to get a feel for the level of realism (a bit more serious than Napoleon Dynamite), but when you're finally tuned in to the wavelength of the makers, you can almost instantly re-watch it (which will not take up too much time because it's refreshingly short). Once you know the characters are a bit silly, but not trying to generate cheap laughs or thrills (it must have been tempting to let Mr. Simmons totally snap, or have an all out brawl at the hotel room party, or let Mrs. Simmons show some more skin), the story becomes remarkably solid.