Author: Wyatt Sanderman Day | Published: March 30th, 2009

    
Small Budget Film Offers a Unique Approach to Some Big Laughs

    The low budget film "The Foot Fist Way" exposes a "slice of life" examination, that is bizarre and often comedic, of life in a small southern city, where everyone there lives an existence of being either two kinds of people: he who is Fred Simmons, and those who aren't. Fred Simmons, played in earnest honesty by Danny McBride, is obviously the focus of this tale of a man who loses his way, stays lost, and somehow finds himself the vindicated hero of a collection of fools.

    This often is the case in some obtuse realities, where nothing is clear cut, but ambiguous in that the societal rules of these unique groupings of people change to suit whoever is in charge. The question becomes: who is in charge? Therein lies the comedy of this sordid story: the battle of who eventually is vindicated and who will remain in charge - if for only a short while.

    Fred Simmons runs a Tae Kwon Do school, segregated into classes of children and adults. While he is crude, narcissistic and incredibly non-empathetic, he however remains their steady leader even after they witness his emotional breakdown befitting a frail wallflower. Obviously, few others have the charisma or the desire to take over his alpha position, until he meets Chuck "the Truck" Wallace, portrayed by Ben Best - unparalleled Tae Kwon Do master and C movie action star. The conflict is Chuck "The Truck" is even more flawed in character, leaving the audience with the choice of the least miserable human being as the preferred hero.

    This may seem a needless statement on the failed human condition of others, however, some of the story is so original in conceptual humor that the movie is worth renting for some of the more eclectic fans of comedy. Low budget, but similar in the subtlety of the crude humor within the Coen Brothers' "The Big Lebowski," "The Foot Fist Way" may be an underappreciated treat to some, or a vulgar abomination to others. I personally could understand either opinion.

    Statesboro, Georgia native and North Carolina School of the Arts graduate Danny McBride stars and serves as writer for this vehicle. North Carolina native Jody Hill co-stars, co-writes and directs, while the film was filmed in Concord, North Carolina with many local extras lending an authentic element to the movie.

    I may live to regret this review and I may live to regret my rating of 2 3/4 stars, but that's life in my small world where I gave this film a chance. You may want to as well and at 87 minutes of runtime you may find your time well spent.

    Rated R. Released on DVD September 23, 2006.

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