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Product Description ------------------- Jerry Ferro's life is brought into focus on his 40th birthday and it's not a pretty picture. A once-promising amateur boxer - who quit so he wouldn't risk his perfect record of underachievement - Jerry has been knocking around from one job to another and spinning his wheels in an unsatisfying relationship. After sparring with an up-and-coming pro and throwing him a one-punch knockdown, Jerry reluctantly steps into the ring and despite an ass-kicking, decides it's time to make his return to competitive boxing and go for Olympic gold! .com ---- No, The Hammer is not the Fred Williamson story, but a surprisingly satisfying underdog sports movie and date movie; an unlikely genre combination, but The Hammer nails it. Adam Carolla, former co-host of The Man Show, stars as underachiever Jerry, just turned 40. A former Golden Gloves boxer (as was Carolla), he works as a construction worker/handyman and also teaches the sweet science at the local gym. You know the drill: Jerry gets fired after running afoul of his abusive boss; Jerry loses fed-up girlfriend; Jerry meets Lindsay (Heather Jurgensen), an idealistic public defender; Jerry impresses a coach and gets the chance to try out for the Olympic boxing team. But a deft touch makes The Hammer a contender. This is Carolla's first bout with leading man status, and, happily, he has the director of the "I Kissed a Girl" arthouse hit, Kissing Jessica Stein in his corner. The script makes effective use of Carolla's unpretentious screen presence, giving him ample rtunity to punch out some droll comic riffs while he pursues his second chance in the ring as well as Lindsay. Add to the mix a grudging friendship he develops with a cocky boxer whom the coach is grooming. The Hammer may not technically be a knockout, but it does go the distance. --Donald Liebenson