The Foot Fist Way

It's tempting to spell that tae kwon doh, because Danny R. McBride's performance as Fred Simmons, a devout practitioner of the martial arts whose lameness totally escapes him, has more than a little of Homer Simpson about him, too.

Shot on the cheap, in verite style, with a cast of newcomers and non-pros (including a bunch of real tae kwon do students), The Foot Fist Way is divided into five parts: "Self-control," "Courtesy," "Perseverance," "Integrity" and "An Indomitable Spirit." At every turn, however, McBride's character loses it.

When he discovers his bombshell wife, Suzie (Mary Jane Bostic), has been fooling around with her boss, Fred struggles to keep things together. He concentrates on teaching his class of acne-faced nerds, wide-eyed school kids, and senior citizens the finer points of the Korean fighting technique. And it's a struggle he doesn't win.

Filmmaker Hill shows up as a bleach-blond, Goth-boy tae kwon do master, and Ben Best has the role of Chuck "The Truck" Wallace, a Chuck Norris-like martial arts star whom Fred happens to worship - until he discovers his hero on the couch with, yes, the she-can't-help-herself Suzie.

There is much to learn in The Foot Fist Way. About breaking a stack of concrete slabs with your elbow, about bowing respectfully to your opponent before you knock him silly, and about how to craft a very cool comedy based on character - real, and really self-deluded characters - and not on shtick.

- Steven Rea