Dany R. Mcbride is going to be a star. There’s no two ways around on it. He stole Pineapple Express with his role as the invincible and conflicted BFF drug dealer Saul. The man has a goofy lovable air around him that the audience attaches to no matter no matter how much of a jackass he may play. So, with that thought in mind, get ready, because ‘The Foot Fist Way’ is a frilly parade of cringe filled situations populated by people in Jack-Ass suspenders. Way back in 2006 this tiny little film was released and at its heart it's nothing more then a plot-less tangle of sketches that center around the riffing of Mcbride. He plays an ego-centric dim bulb taekwondo instructor who's trashy wife is cheating on him, he's fabricated a fantasy love scenario with one of his students and his entire life revolves around his Sunday Parking Lot Martial Art Demo Shows. He’s a loser. That’s why you should laugh. Don’t worry, the guy isn’t vehemently mean. He’s just really stupid. Sometimes that works (See Dumb and Dumber) but the creators of ‘The Foot Fist Way’ Director Jody Hill (who also plays the fifth degree best friend) and writer Ben Best (bringing all his long haired glory as action superstar Chuck The Truck) decide to play it for awkward laughs instead of going for the straight up TA-DA punch line. They ditch the big broad gags and settle instead for a constant chuckle filled atmosphere. It works in chunks, but as a whole it just left me bored. The most surprising part is that for an actor who seems to strive off improvisation (Supposedly all his best bits in Pineapple were of his own doing) I’m surprised, because for a film that seems to live off Improvisation (as some scenes never seem to end) Mcbride never really brings any of his A-game. He’s still an active magnetic screen presence, but I could only muster a small polite grin as he trundled on through the mediocre material. Everything does reach an interesting climax, but the situation never regally delivered on. Did they run out of money? I’m curious to see what Jody Hill will bring to his next outing, a big budget comedy starring Seth Rogen called “Observe and Report”
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