63
Metascore
22 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment WeeklyNot short on broad physical humor. But Simmons is a brilliantly detailed grotesque capable of withstanding comparison to his most obvious inspiration, Ricky Gervais' "Office" boss David Brent.
- 80Film ThreatEric CamposFilm ThreatEric CamposThis is a really small film, shot in 19 days, and it's a little rough around the edges, but it's got a huge comic heart that's undeniable.
- It's all saved by actor Danny McBride, who has created such a distinctive character in Simmons, at once engaging and repulsive, that it's hard not to keep watching even while cringing.
- 80The New York TimesNathan LeeThe New York TimesNathan LeeAn itsy-bitsy, ultra-indie, super-silly comedy packing huge laughs and unexpected heart.
- 75USA TodayClaudia PuigUSA TodayClaudia PuigA refreshingly silly and clever portrait of a strikingly daft and clueless man.
- 70VarietyVarietyThe character of Fred Simmons is a Cliff Clavin-esque sensei deluxe in The Foot Fist Way, a low-budget, low-flying farce a la "Napoleon Dynamite" or "Jackass: The Movie."
- 70Village VoiceVillage VoiceTruthfully, The Foot Fist Way is no different from an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm": This is irritainment, something you snicker at while covering your eyes, praying that this guy never gets loose in the real world, when, in fact, he's your next-door neighbor. Or you.
- 63TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghThis scrappy, ultra-low budget comedy, made in 19 days for $70,000 by North Carolina School of the Arts graduates Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Ben Best, comes with its own Cinderella tale: It debuted at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival but failed to find distribution until comedian Will Ferrell and his business partner, Adam McKay, championed it.
- 60New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanThere are enough droll moments to spark cult status, and McBride's commitment is impressive.
- 50The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsTrouble is, the gags just keep finding new ways to make McBride's strip-mall sensei seem pathetic, and the few scattered laughs never justify the cruelty.