by Monica Hayes
The man who was once known as the “N**** You Love to Hate,” Ice Cube is back in customary throwback style as a super intense teacher who truly lives out the credo of “snitches get stitches” in the high-school comedy, Fist Fight.
Picture the last day of school. You would think, EVERYBODY would be ready for the summer and a much-needed break right? Nope! Not at Roosevelt High School. The teachers are anxious because their jobs are in jeopardy, and on top of that, they have to deal with the students pulling pranks all day.
Enter Mr. Campbell (Charlie Day). Campbell is the nerdy English teacher with good intentions who is trying to get a permanent teaching position at the school. Yeah, no the last day before summer vacation . . . right! However, Campbell has no backbone, zero, nada not at all! Constantly pushed around and disrespected by the students, Campbell has a mousey demeanor and does not stand up for himself. The complete opposite of Campbell is Mt. Strickland (Ice Cube). Mr. Strickland is the most feared teacher and is considered the bully in the school. Everybody, I mean, EVERYBODY is afraid of him; teachers, administration, and students all know not to mess with Mr. Strickland.
What brings these two opposites to a head is when they are called into the principal’s office to discuss an incident, which took place in Mr. Strickland’s class. The motto of “Teachers stick together” was working, until both are threatened with termination. That’s when Campbell spills the beans and tells the whole story and Strickland is fired. Pissed off, Strickland challenges Campbell to a fight after school at 3’oclock and the fun begins.
Campbell’s day goes downhill from there. Not only is he shook from Strickland’s scowl, (honestly, Ice Cube should trademark that look because only he can pull that off), the ENTIRE school knows, it is in the media, hell, news of #TeacherFight traveled as far as China. Campbell spends the entire day, trying to get out of the fight by trying to bribe a student, calling the cops etc. to no avail.
Fist Fight is a funnier and raunchier version of the 1987 movie, Three O’Clock High meets Animal House (just with teachers) and set inside a high school. Add to all of that, if that wasn’t enough, Tracy Morgan is Coach Crawford and Jillian Bell is the Ultimate Cougar drooling over students only adds to the shenanigans happening around the school. Put this one on your list to see.
Grade B