Entertaining if you don't think too much

Rating: 6/10 (27 April 2017)

If you want a funny and entertaining movies with some good characters and good moments, you could certainly do a lot worse. This is a classic rags-to-riches sports movie that follows a fairly common formula of an underdog rising up to take on a big challenge. However, unlike many other sports movies, we are not meant to like the main character from the beginning. Kevin James' character is shown right away as an example of everything that is wrong with being an uncaring educator. He then realizes the err of his ways and tries to find redemption, and that is when the story takes off.
The premise of him fighting to raise money for a noble cause is great. But you really need to suspend reality for the story to make any sense at all. First of all, schools do not accept donations for pay for a single teacher's salary. And if they did, that means Kevin James needs to keep donating his fighting profits for the rest of Henry Winkler's career to really make a different. And it is not just Winkler's job that is about to be axed, it is the entire music program. So just raising money for one man's job will be a drop in the bucket.
Another ridiculous part of the movie is when Joe Rogan (playing himself) has the whole band flown out to play a one-minute song for the match. Hey Joe, this is a financially strapped school about to lose its music program. If you want to make a difference, don't fly out every member for a tiny performance. Donate that money to the school! Maybe I am a cynic, but that really bothered me.
While those parts of the movie were ridiculous, the overall experience really is quite good. Obviously your expectations coming into this movie would be to just enjoy yourself and have some laughs for 90 minutes. In that respect, this movie delivers.