In what can best be described as a bad-teacher comedy. This is a movie that doesn’t break new ground, but it does see Charlie Day nearly getting his face broken by Ice Cube who quotes a famous N.W.A lyric in an almost self aware film that is Fist Fight.
You have a cliched crew of figures that turn the wheels of this production. Troubled principal (Dean Norris of Breaking Bad Fame), a promiscuous guidance counselor (Jillian Bell), whimpy security guard (Kumail Nanjiani), a perverted football coach (Tracy Morgan) and a French teacher with a devious penchant of cutting things (Christina Hendricks).
They provide the filler between the conflict that arises between Mr. Campbell (Charlie Day), an anxious self-righteous English teacher who deals with profane colleague that everyone’s terrified of, Mr. Strickland (Ice Cube), whose subject is history. One misunderstanding too much and Campbell finds himself being challenged by Strickland to an after school good old fashioned beat down that brings the title of the movie into play.
In what seems to mirror present day USA in some twisted satire, the movie takes place at the last day of school and it’s open season for seniors to play pranks which involve paintball, horses high on substances among other things. The Atlanta High School is unhinged and one wrong prank later sets Strickland off and with the school laying off staff, Campbell is forced to snitch leading to Strickland losing his job and the rest of the movie sees Campbell try to fix things. Imperative word being try.
If you’re thinking white man redeems himself of a situation, you’re not wrong. There’s a subtle hint of a racial tone here. Campbell does have a background story of being a nice guy who finishes last. Which seems odd considering his pregnant wife (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) and young daughter (Alexa Nisenson) seem to think otherwise. Whereas we learn nothing about Strickland at all save for the urban legends narrated among student and teacher bodies. All he serves in fist fight is to make Campbell a better man.
It can get tiresome though. There is a R rating for a reason after all. The teachers do get harassed without retribution, drug use is aplenty and there’s even some questionable ex student teacher relations. The big fight looks to be a metaphor in postmodern america with the background scene of layoffs, budget cuts. Teachers trying to teach in spite of it. There’s some solidarity in being a public school teacher and Strickland shows that he loves his job and is not actually the maniac everyone makes him out to be.
That is to say, he does wield a fire axe very effectively.
Fist Fight
Director Richie Keen Writers Van Robichaux, Evan Susser Stars Ice Cube, Charlie Day, Tracy Morgan, Christina Hendricks, Kumail Nanjiani
Rating R
Running Time 1h 31m
Genre Comedy
