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Arts
Thursday, February 23, 2017 — 5

‘Fist Fight’ falls short

Despite a star-studded cast, Warner Bros. latest film disappoints

“Fist Fight” is a movie about 

two teachers who go ahead 
and fight each other because 
that is something you wouldn’t 
expect two teachers to do. And 
if there is one thing that “Fist 
Fight” thinks is funny, it’s 
teachers doing things teachers 
wouldn’t normally do.

“Look, 
that 

teacher 
does 

drugs!” 
“Look, 

that 
teacher 

swears 
a 
lot!” 

“Look, 
that 

teacher 
is 
a 

potentially 
psychotic killer!” 
“Look, that teacher is Ice 
Cube!” This list represents a 
comprehensive compilation of 
every single joke in the entire 
hour and thirty-one-minute 
ordeal that is “Fist Fight.”

While jokes like these are 

occasionally funny, it’s not 
the kind of humor on which 
to base an entire feature 
film. It’s a running joke, a 
bit. Ultimately, “Fist Fight” 
is just like the jokes it tells; 
sometimes it’ll get a laugh, but 
for the most part, it feels like 
a one-note sitcom episode that 
lasts ninety minutes instead of 
twenty.

“Fist 
Fight” 
is 
doubly 

disappointing considering the 
comedic pedigree of its cast. 
Charlie Day, the breakout star 
of FXX’s terrific “It’s Always 
Sunny in Philadelphia,” stars, 
squaring off against Ice Cube, 
who has turned in scene-
stealing comedic work in the 
“Jump Street” movies. The 
two are backed up by Tracy 
Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian 
Bell (“22 Jump Street”), and 
Kumail 
Nanjiani 
(“Silicon 

Valley”), as well as dramatic 
performers 
like 
Dean 

Norris (“Breaking Bad”) and 
Christina Hendricks (“Mad 
Men”).

This is an insane cast, and to 

their credit, they all do great 
work. Day acquits himself 
quite well as the straight 
man of the movie, though the 
manic energy that has made 
him the fan favorite character 
of “Sunny” inevitably shines 
through. Ice Cube plays the 
kind of “angry guy” role that 

he could do in 
his 
sleep 
by 

this 
point 
in 

his career, but 
he does it well 
enough 
that 

it’s hard to get 
too upset over. 
Arguably 
the 

biggest surprise in the cast is 
Norris, who portrays the high 
school’s put-upon principal, 
who seems like he is growing 
closer and closer to losing his 
mind as the story wears on. 
Like much of the cast, it’s a bit 
role, but Norris makes it one of 
the more memorable parts of 
the movie.

Still, with a cast this good, 

there 
should 
be 
material 

worthy of that talent, and 
there is little to none to be 
found in “Fist Fight.” Apart 
from the absolute dearth of 
any sort of wit—former Funny 
or Die writers Van Robichaux 
and 
Evan 
Susser 
fill 
the 

movie with as many F-bombs 
as possible and erroneously 
believe 
that 
counts 
as 

comedy—the 
film 
features 

the bane of modern R-rated 
comedies: the shoehorned in 
emotional B-story.

You know the one where the 

main character has to learn 
the value of friendship or the 
main character has to learn to 
believe in himself or the main 
character has to be a better 
employee. It’s the storyline 
where large swaths of people 

leave the theater to refill 
their popcorn or go to the 
bathroom because they know 
there will be nothing funny 
for the next five minutes. 
Here, “Fist Fight” proves to 
be the most economical kind 
of movie, as it crams three of 
these into itself for the price 
of one. Day’s character has 
to learn to be a better father 
and he has to learn to stand 

up for himself and he has to 
worry about his job. Not only 
do these function as a way to 
give the plot some illusion of 
stake, but it gives the writers a 
way to espouse the message of 
the film as much as possible: 
words matter.

And that is where “Fist 

Fight” falls shortest of all, 
because while it all but breaks 
the fourth wall to get its 
meaning across, everything 
that happen within the movie 
contradicts it. Words matter, 
but nothing the characters do 
has any consequences. Words 
matter, but do whatever you 
want, it’ll turn out okay. Words 
matter, just not our words. It 
is hypocritical in a way that is 
almost inspiring. If it felt like 
anyone but the cast had put 
any effort into it, “Fist Fight” 
might be salvageable, but it 
can’t escape its own idiotic 
duplicity and boring humor.

WARNER BROS.

JEREMIAH VANDERHELM

Daily Arts Wrtier

Serving up more than just food

As with most businesses, 

restaurants 
possess 
the 

ability to impact social and 
political change. Whether it’s 
by choosing to source their 
produce from local farmers 
or by taking a stand on recent 
anti-immigrant policies, the 
way restaurant owners choose 
to run their establishments has 
far-reaching effects on their 
communities and beyond.

In a recent profile, Detroit 

chef Kate Williams made clear 
her awareness of the cultural 
currency chefs and restaurants 
carry in driving food and dining 
trends across the country. This 
awareness motivates her use of 
whole animal preservation and 
local produce from Detroit’s 
urban farmers. In doing so, she 
hopes to infuse the national 
discourse 
surrounding 

culinary 
trends 
and 
food 

consumption 
with 

her propensity for 
sustainability 
and 

reducing food waste.

Among 
the 

increasing 
movements 
aimed at boosting 
sustainability 
and 

reducing waste is 
the 
farm-to-table 

movement 
— 
a 

trend 
that 
began 

in the early 1970 ’s 
and entered mainstream food 
culture a little over a decade 
ago. The movement benefits 
not only the environment and 
the economy but also improves 
and 
sustains 
the 
nation’s 

physical health. Williams is 
among an increasing number 
of chefs and restaurants that 
have taken to the movement. In 
addition to reducing business 
costs for restaurant owners, 
it helps local farmers and 
creates jobs — a key advantage 
for cities like Detroit, that are 
recovering 
from 
economic 

hardship.

This movement, and many 

others, are sparked by the 
actions of individual chefs. 
Their 
unique 
tastes 
and 

practices have the power to 
shape how food is made and 
consumed in our country. Not 

all trends and movements are 
rooted in culinary practices, 
however.

Recently, many restaurants 

took it upon themselves to 
support their local communities 
by 
championing 
immigrant 

workers — who make up over 
a quarter of the industry — 
and closing their doors on 
Thursday, February 16th in “A 
Day Without Immigrants.” The 
national movement, sparked 
by President Donald Trump’s 
recent, 
highly 
controversial 

anti-immigrant 
policies, 

sought to defend immigrants, 
who form the backbone of the 
restaurant industry.

In 
January, 
Sanctuary 

Restaurants 
was 
founded 

to 
protect 
employers 
and 

workers from becoming the 
targets of hate or harassment 
by educating them on their 

rights 
and 
calling 

on 
consumers 
to 

increase 
their 

awareness. 
The 

organization’s 
maxim is the belief 
that, 
“There’s 
a 

place at the table 
for everyone.” Over 
280 restaurants have 
already joined the 
movement, including 
Ann 
Arbor’s 

Zingerman’s 
Deli. 

The movement seeks to create 
inclusive dining environments 
and hold restaurant owners, 
workers 
and 
consumers 

responsible for fostering safe 
spaces and responding to the 
racism and discrimination that 
have permeated the national 
discourse 
surrounding 

immigrants. 
This 
type 
of 

response uses the particular 
position of restaurants in their 
community and the economy 
to make a political statement 
and to advance social change 
on a scale that extends far 
beyond their respective local 
environments.

On 
a 
small-scale 
level, 

restaurants serve a valuable 
role as cultural hubs, bringing 
together members of their 
communities and individuals 
from 
outside 
to 
share 
in 

unifying, common experiences. 
They 
exhibit 
a 
range 
of 

diverse 
cultural 
practices 

that 
introducer 
patrons 
to 

philosophies 
and 
practices 

they might not experience 
elsewhere. 
a 
fundamental 

and 
necessary 
aspect 
of 

communities 
across 
the 

nation. As cultural mainstays, 
restaurants are positioned to 
take the kind of stance that 
Sanctuary 
Restaurants 
and 

other movements advocate for 
to mobilize real change.

Restaurants 
play 
a 
vital 

role in their local business 
communities. Whether a hole-
in-the wall local joint, a small 
time food truck, or a high-
end dining spot, restaurants 
are 
pillars 
of 
their 
local 

communities and the nation’s 
overarching 
economic 
and 

cultural ecosystem. Drawing 
crowds 
from 
all 
over 
the 

world, they possess the ability 
to aggregate numerous and 
varied constituencies.

Even 
on 
a 
small 
scale, 

the way restaurant owners 
choose 
to 
present 
their 

businesses 
is 
reflective 
of 

attitudes 
of 
inclusion 
and 

social 
consciousness. 
In 

her 
interview, 
Williams 

expressed her desire to make 
her restaurant approachable 
to all, particularly to those 
deterred from certain price 
points. Be it simplified decor 
or a more affordable menu, 
this form of cultural and 
economic awareness strives to 
make dining a more equitable 
environment.

Though 
instability 
is 

common within the industry, 
with 
restaurants 
shuttering 

and failing to launch regularly, 
those 
with 
staying 
power 

have a profound impact on 
their communities and a clear 
expression of their unique 
cultural 
voice 
within 
the 

culinary landscape. It’s these 
kinds of establishments and 
culturally-savvy owners that 
create enduring spaces and 
practices 
that 
shape 
their 

communities in the long run 
and that ultimately shape who 
we are as consumers. 

SHIR

 AVINADAV 

FOOD COLUMN
FILM REVIEW

“Fist Fight”

Rave Cinemas, 

Goodrich Quality 16

Warner Bros.

SINGLE REVIEW

 
It’s not a surprise 

that Lana del Rey’s newest 
single is about love.
 
But instead of gravi-

tating towards the sensual, 
melancholy-heavy sound of 
2013’s Born To Die, “Love” 
is delicately suffused with 
nostalgia and sweeter, more 
tender emotions.
 
Lana swaps out the 

chorusing violins that fea-
tured prominently in both 
“Born to Die” and “Dark Par-
adise,” replacing them with 
a steady, gently bobbing beat 
and airy, rustling background 
noises, which emphasize the 
unhurried tone and dreamy 
atmosphere of the track. 
Wispy, ethereal electronics 
further add to the softness of 
the song overall.
 
Like most of her 

work, “Love” has a distinctly 
cinematic sound to it; it’s 
easy to picture it playing 
over a scene from the 2013 
film adaption of “The Great 

Gatsby,” which featured 
her “Young and Beautiful.” 
Something about the effort-
less breathiness of her voice 
as she reaches for higher tim-
bres and the candid, buoy-
ant innocence of the lyrics 
(“It doesn’t matter if I’m not 
enough / For the future or 
the things to come / ‘Cause 
I’m young and in love”) per-
fectly captures the essence 
of young love. Even if the 

listener hasn’t experienced it, 
“Love” encourages imagina-
tion, nudging us to let loose 
and take advantage of the 
possibilities available to us 
while we still can.
 
But “Love” isn’t 

merely about the freedom 
and naivete of the emotion; 

it’s also a song of admiration 
for those who are still able 
to experience love’s carefree 
nature.
 
“Look at you kids 

with your vintage music / 
Comin’ through satellites 
while cruisin’ / You’re part of 
the past, but now you’re the 
future,” Lana coos in the first 
stanza, a hint of motherly 
pride unmistakable in her 
voice.
 
Even as the piece 

builds into a sweeping cre-
scendo, it never loses any 
of the lush luminosity that 
keeps it fresh. At its most 
intense, the song glides with 
a sugary, carefree melodious-
ness — but at every end it’s 
purposed. 

— SAMANTHA LU

“Love”

Lana del Rey

Polydor

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“Fist Fight” 

is doubly 

disappointing 
considering the 
comedic pedigree 

of its cast

POLYDOR

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