Movie Review - Fired Up (2009)

Starring Nicholas D'Agosto, Eric Christian Olson, John Michael Higgins, and Philip Baker Hall
Written by Freedom Jones
Directed by Will Gluck

So, about ten minutes in, I already wanted to ring one of the main character's necks. Then, he overhears a series of dialogue that, quite possibly, could be the worst lines I've heard in a movie so far this year.

"You know how Martin Luther King had a dream? Well, I do, too -- to kick ass at cheer camp. And if that makes me shallow, then fine. Call me and Dr. King shallow."

"That doesn't make you shallow. That makes you real."

Those lines were followed shortly by the aforementioned douchebag main character saying "I love every bone in your body...especially mine," and I was ready to bail.

Then, somehow, I started to laugh. I don't understand why, but this movie began to elicit a few moderate chuckles and one or two actual loud laughs.

So, despite the fact that Eric Christian Olsen who plays the "cocky asshole ladies' man" (their words in the film...not mine) was nearly unwatchable at times as he and his football playing "bro" invade a cheer camp for three weeks to get with the ladies instead of going to their own football camp, there were enough laughs to not cause this movie to be a complete and utter failure. (Run-on sentence there, or what?)

Side Note: This film actually had one of the funniest (and ridiculously blatant) product placements I've seen in recent years. Good going, Staples!

Side Note 2: Favorite Line - Sure, right...mediocrity deserves applause. Why don't we go find a Ford Focus and applaud around it? (Have no idea if that makes any sense out of context, but it made me laugh quite a bit.)

The RyMickey Rating: D+