The Hammer (2007)

Director:

Charles Herman-Wurmfeld

Writers (WGA):

Kevin Hench (screenplay)
Adam Carolla (story)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Some Guys Don't Know Their Destiny Till It Hits Them In The Face.

Plot:

Jerry Ferro's 40th birthday has brought his life into sharp relief and it's not a pretty picture. A once-promising amateur boxer...

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Birthday | Coach | Olympics | Gym

Cast

Adam Carolla	...	Jerry Ferro
Oswaldo Castillo	...	Oswaldo Sanchez
Harold House Moore	...	Robert Brown
Christopher Darga	...	Mike LeMat
Jonathan Hernandez	...	Victor Padilla
Heather Juergensen	...	Lindsay Pratt
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Alayo	...	Boxer Opponent
Michelle Ashley	...	Waitress
Rian Bishop	...	Nationals Trainer
Ascencion Bribiescas	...	Boxing Student
Antonio Caballero
Derrick Deane	...	Gym Member
Lorenzo Eduardo	...	Posse Member #2
John Enos III	...	Steve
Kevin Ferguson	...	Jeff
Jim FitzGerald	...	Announcer
Alison Flierl	...	Boxing fan
Julia Galasso	...	Boxing Class Trainee
Keeshan Giles	...	Posse Member #1
Stacy Glassgold	...	Tarpits Visitor (as Stacy Michelle Gold)
Leah Gottfried	...	Secretary
Andy Hnilo	...	Knockout Victim
Karen Jefferson	...	Hardware Store Cashier
Justin Kelly	...	Construction Worker
Jeff Lacy	...	Malice Blake
Billy Moses	...	Boxing Student
Manuel Nardi	...	(credit only)
Tom Quinn	...	Coach Bell
Lily Rey	...	Waitress
Bruce Schroffel	...	Timekeeper
Shadii	...	Malice Blake Entourage / boxer
Robyn Sheridan	...	Boxer
Ray Siegle	...	Final match referee
Keith Stanisiewski	...	Hardware Store Customer
Trev Tommasi	...	Mike Duncan
Jimmy Walker Jr.	...	The Oldtimer
Constance Zimmer	...	Nicole
Brian Allen	...	Construction Worker (uncredited)
Jane Lynch	...	Woman Who Argues With Jerry (uncredited)
Shamarrah E. Pates	...	Boxing fan (uncredited)
Ashleigh Sumner	...	Leslie's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Herman-Wurmfeld

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Hench		(screenplay)
Adam Carolla		(story)

Produced by
Adam Carolla	....	executive producer
Gregory Firestone	....	executive producer
Steven Firestone	....	executive producer
Eric Ganz	....	producer
Kevin Hench	....	co-producer
Heather Juergensen	....	producer
Chris Stinson	....	line producer
Eden Wurmfeld	....	producer
Jonathan Wysocki	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Matt Mariano
John Swihart

Cinematography by
Marco Fargnoli

Film Editing by
Rich Fox

Casting by
Michael Hothorn

Production Design by
Mickey Siggins

Art Direction by
Kelley Sean Crawford

Costume Design by
Abigail Nieto

Makeup Department
Heather L. Burns	....	makeup artist: post production
Akiko Matsumoto	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Brian Buckland	....	production supervisor
Melissa Demino	....	post-production supervisor: Encore
Bob Gill	....	additional post-production supervisor
Kelly Hirano	....	production manager: reshoots
Dana Merwin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ellen Rosentreter	....	dayplayer second second assistant director
Rod Smith	....	first assistant director
Sharon Swab	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lori Lee Korth	....	property master
Marisa McKay	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Dwayne Avery	....	dialogue editor
Christian Buenaventura	....	boom operator
J.M. Davey	....	sound effects editor
Melissa Fecher	....	foley recordist
Dick Hansen	....	sound mixer
Jeaneane Leaver-Fay	....	foley artist
David H. Price	....	sound effects editor
Erin Michael Rettig	....	foley editor
Zach Seivers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Zach Seivers	....	supervising sound editor
Nick Shaffer	....	foley supervisor
David Lewis Yewdall	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
Tim Jacobsen	....	visual effects producer
Doug Spilatro	....	visual effects
Johnny Wilson	....	digital effects artist

Stunts
Ben Bray	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Bain	....	camera loader
Mike Barnett	....	director of photography: second unit
Greg Brezovec	....	electrician
Ryan Copeland	....	grip
Michael Druez	....	grip
Mark Evans	....	additional set electrician
Amos James	....	key grip
Kevin Mucha	....	best boy electric
Doug Oh	....	first assistant camera
Christopher C. Pearson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Ryan Polack	....	second assistant camera
Jake Rose	....	rigging grip
Michael Roy	....	gaffer
Justin Schein	....	still photographer
Chris Vinopal	....	set electrician
Craig Wadlin	....	best boy grip
Ramian E. Williams	....	grip
Bobby Woo	....	set electrician
Rick Taylor	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cheryl Asico	....	extras casting
Jeremy Gordon	....	casting associate
Anthony J. Kraus	....	casting assistant
Joshua Lehmann	....	extras casting
Veronica Wayne	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Terri Middleton	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
S.E. Hardy	....	post-production intern
Matt Maddox	....	assistant editor
Don Misraje	....	finishing editor

Music Department
Michael Brake	....	music editor
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Collin Butrum	....	transportation coordinator
Hugo Ocana	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Sam Alvelo	....	set production assistant
Barbara Burchfield	....	assistant office production coordinator
Alex Farrington	....	set medic
Ben Feldman	....	production legal services
Genevieve Gilson	....	assistant: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
James Hart	....	location scout
Rolf Peter Hausen	....	final check
Kelly Leffler	....	script supervisor
Crystal 'Sue' McGraw	....	production accountant
Setu Raval	....	production office intern
Kimberly Robbins	....	production office intern
Nathan Swisher	....	production coordinator
Erin Tambellini	....	script supervisor: day player
Bing Tell	....	office production assistant
Dasha Tolstikova	....	assistant to producer
Marc Turchin	....	set production assistant
Peter Wulff	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Bentley Filmgroup
• Eden Wurmfeld Films
• Hammer The Movie

Distributors

• Weinstein Company, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Hammer the Movie (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• 21st Century Pictures (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• Aceman
• ETV (2009) (South Africa) (all media)
• HBO Hungary (2009) (Hungary) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2009) (Poland) (all media)
• Kanal Turk (2009) (Turkey) (all media)
• Laptv (2009) (Argentina) (all media)
• Telecine (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Village Films (2009) (Greece) (all media)

Special Effects

• Encore Visual Effects

Other Companies

• Burbank Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Cut Music  music editorial services
• Snap Sound  post-production sound services

MPAA:

Rated R for brief language.

Runtime:

USA:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

La Brea Tar Pits, Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bentley Filmgroup

Trivia:

The gym featured in the movie was built by Adam Carolla and Oswaldo Castillo during Adam's years as a carpenter. After completing the gym, Adam instructed the morning boxing class and Oswaldo was hired as the maintenance guy.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: (Possibly deliberate) When Jerry pulls into the gym parking lot and comes to a stop under the street lamp, the truck brake lights do not function.

Quotes:

Jerry Ferro: Do you have taquitos?
Roach Coach Lady: Taquitos?
Jerry Ferro: Hey, if you said spaghetti I wouldn't be confused. Taquitos!

Movie Connections:

References "Mahha GoGoGo" (1967)

Soundtrack:

Eye of the Tiger

A really great film

This film had a lot to live up to for me. I read a lot and had heard a lot of good things about it before finally seeing it. Inevitably, when that happens usually the film can't possibly live up to the hype. This one for me really did. I hearkened back to a time in film making when comedies didn't need gross-out scenes or elaborate sight gags to carry the comedy. The comedy just relied on good and funny writing. This film has it in spades.

First a little jag about the MPPA rating system. If someone could explain to me the, "R" rating, I would appreciate it. It seems to me the only reason - and I'm no conspiracy theorist - for it to carry such a rating is to kill small, independent film such as this one. It has no nudity, no harsh language (no f-bombs or closer), no real violence (there is a little blood in one scene but its surrounded by boxing as a plot point). Really, I want to know, why the, "R" rating. I'm pretty conservative but I would take my 7 year old niece to this film.

This is a romantic comedy. I would put it among the best in the sports-themed category right alongside, "Tin Cup" and "Bull Durahm". This film, however carries a much lighter touch after all it was made for like, 1/5th the budget and therefore carries much more charm and appeal as a result. I will say that despite the low budget it is far from looking like a low budget film. The directing is tight, the acting is very convincing and the comedy is razor sharp.

Overall I would say, if you are finished with the tired and formula driven comedies the major studios are pumping out these days and want to get back to a comedy that is very funny but doesn't have to hit you over the head with over the top stereotypes, sight gags and fart jokes, then, "The Hammer" may be the salvation you have been waiting for.