Here Comes The Boom marks a transitional point in Kevin James career. The film blends the slapstick/absurdist comedy James is known for (The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop) with a newfound emotional and dramatic context. James stars as Scott Voss, a worn-down teacher, who almost by-accident volunteers to save the Arts Program at his flailing high school. Somehow MMA Fighting becomes his only solution to raise the appropriate sums. The film alternates between comic set pieces of James fighting (i.e. getting his ass kicked) and more poignant moments on the nature of public education in the country. It’s a film where James for the most part – plays ‘straight man’, the cast around him (Henry Winkler, Salma Hayek) given more room to go ‘wacky’ and/or ‘funny’. It’s an interesting change of pace for James, especially given the fact that he co-wrote the film and part for himself. Click here for all our previous coverage.
In the following interview with Kevin James, he discusses the process of writing for himself, taking a punch (and a kick or two) for the film and previews the upcoming Kevin Hart costarring Valet Guys. For the full interview hit the jump.
Kevin James Time Index:
- 00:00 – How did Kevin James approach getting beat up on film?
- 00:50 – Did James get any of his own kicks/punches in against the trained fighters on set?
- 01:10 – Does James see the intermingling of comedy and drama in Here Comes the Boom as a stepping-stone for more dramatic roles in the future?
- 01:40 – How does James write a character for himself based on his own talents and weaknesses?
- 02:34 – What scenes scared James the most when he was writing the picture?
- 03:15 – What is the status on Valet Guys?
