The Hammer (2010 film)

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}{{Infobox film

| name = The Hammer

| image = The Hammer 2011 poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Film poster

| director = Oren Kaplan

| producer = Kip Konwiser (executive producer), Eben Kostbar
Joseph McKelheer

| screenplay = Eben Kostbar
Joseph McKelheer

| starring = Russell Harvard

| music = iZLER

| cinematography = David Rom

| editing = Jacquelyn Dean

| studio = Film Harvest
Fifth Year Productions
Tapout Films

| distributor = D&E Entertainment

| released = {{Film date|2010|11|7|AFI|2011|10|27|United States}}

| runtime = 108 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English
American Sign Language

| budget =

| gross =

}}

The Hammer, previously titled Hamill, is a 2010 biographical film about Matt Hamill, a deaf wrestler and mixed martial artist. Oren Kaplan directs the film based on a screenplay co-written by Eben Kostbar and Joseph McKelheer, who are also the film's producers. Russell Harvard, a deaf actor, plays Hamill in the film. The Hammer screened at several film festivals throughout 2010 and 2011. The film was released in theaters on {{nowrap|October 27}}, 2011.

Plot

The Hammer follows Matt Hamill, who was born deaf, in his youth and mostly in 1997, when Hamill is a sophomore walk-on at Rochester Institute of Technology and wins the first of three collegiate wrestling championships.

Cast

Russell Harvard as Matt Hamill
Theodore Conley as young Matt
Raymond J. Barry as Stanley, Hamill's grandfather
Shoshannah Stern as Kristi, Hamill's girlfriend
Susan Gibney as Janet Hamill
Lexi Marman as Kelley, Kristi's roommate
Michael Anthony Spady as Jay, Hamill's roommate
Bob Hiltermann as Purdue Professor
Benjamin Kally as BenC'moe

Also in the film are Robin Walton, Gavin Bellour, Stephen Dodd, and Courtney Halverson.{{cite journal | last=Chang | first=Justin | url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117944085/ | title=Film Reviews: Hamill | journal=Variety | date=November 21, 2010 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108092228/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117944085/ | url-status=live | archivedate=November 8, 2012 }} One of Hamill's former opponents, Rich Franklin, also appears in the film as Purdue University wrestling coach Pruitt who cuts Hamill from the team.

Production

The Hammer is directed by Oren Kaplan based on a screenplay co-written by Eben Kostbar and Joseph McKelheer, who are also the film's producers. Matt Hamill is played by Russell Harvard, who is also deaf. The filmmakers spent over five years developing the project, and they sought out deaf cast and crew members for the film.{{cite news | last=Davidson | first=Neil | url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hpb6O-fMZifxQJc5A5hBscJeE7QA?docId=6976090 | title='Hamill' tells inspirational story of deaf fighter who continues to win | work=The Canadian Press | date=May 27, 2011 | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240525085354/https://www.webcitation.org/5z1J5ciwZ?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hpb6O-fMZifxQJc5A5hBscJeE7QA%3FdocId=6976090 | url-status=dead | archivedate=May 25, 2024 }} According to McKelheer, the writers performed "roughly" 75 rewrites to ensure Hamill's support and that the film would not be cheesy. Kostbar was originally intended to play Hamill, but they decided to cast a deaf person as the wrestler to appeal to the deaf community.{{cite news |last=Dure |first=Beau |date=October 21, 2010 |title=MMA's Matt Hamill a hit in the cage and on the big screen |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/mma/2010-10-21-matt-hamill-a-hit-on-the-big-screen_N.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022115004/https://www.usatoday.com/sports/mma/2010-10-21-matt-hamill-a-hit-on-the-big-screen_N.htm |archive-date=October 22, 2010 |work=USA Today}} They first noticed Harvard in his brief role in There Will Be Blood as the adult son of Daniel Day-Lewis' character but were not sure initially if Harvard could portray an athlete. After additional searching that was inconclusive, they chose to cast Harvard as Hamill.

Kostbar and McKelheer produced the film with their independent film company Film Harvest. For the production, they sought financing and found it with Fifth Year Productions, which was founded by the Farrelly brothers, Jim Kelly, and Bob Bartosiewicz. Most of the film was shot in Rochester, New York, home of Hamill's college, Rochester Institute of Technology.{{cite news |last=Dure |first=Beau |date=October 22, 2010 |title='Hamill' filmmakers pursue distribution |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/mma/post/2010/10/hamill-filmmakers-pursue-distribution/1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024195845/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/mma/post/2010/10/hamill-filmmakers-pursue-distribution/1 |archive-date=October 24, 2010 |work=USA Today}} Scenes at Purdue were actually shot at the University of Rochester. The film alternates between use of sound and absence of sound as well as the use of subtitles, frequently with words missing.

Release

The Hammer, titled Hamill at the time, had its world premiere at the AFI (American Film Institute) Film Festival in November 2010, where it won a Breakthrough Film Audience Award and a $5,500 prize.{{cite journal | last=McNary | first=Dave | url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118027376 | title=Four take AFI aud nods | journal=Variety | date=November 12, 2010 }} From then to May 2011, the film was screened at film festivals in Newport Beach, Florida, Miami, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, winning audience awards at each festival. The film was given a limited theatrical release as The Hammer on {{nowrap|October 27}}, 2011.{{Cite news |last=Catsoulis |first=Jeannette |date=2011-10-26 |title=For a Boy Born Different, Sports as Salvation (Published 2011) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/movies/the-hammer-based-on-the-wrestler-matt-hamill-review.html |access-date=2024-03-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en}} It was distributed by D&E Entertainment. The film was also released on DVD, Blu-ray, and video on demand by ARC Entertainment.{{cite journal | last=McNary | first=Dave | url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118043376 | title=D&E locks 'The Hammer' for bigscreen | journal=Variety | date=September 23, 2011 }}