Perry Bee I have been fan of the UFC for some years now, it has some great characters, some of the fighters did it the real hard way to get to the top of the sport, and The Hammer is one of them! I grew up with my cousin who was born deaf, so I sort of know what Matt had to deal with, but like Matt my cousin was great at most things he had a go at, my cousin even got married and has 3 beautiful kids, something I never got the courage to do! What I liked about this film was that there was a lot of effort put in to try and make you feel and see what it must be like to be deaf, the story flows at a nice pace, and has a solid cast.Give this film a go, even if you are not into MMA, you will still feel like a champ watching Matt become The Hammer! A solid 8 out of 10, HI5

juliusamaya1 At first glance, "The Hammer" is your typical sports underdog movie with classic clichés such as fan chants and the big fight or game at the movie's conclusion. But taking a closer look at the film, you discover that it makes a cultural cross-over into the hearing and Deaf world with its innovative use of open-caption during the first half of the movie and sub-titles in the second half. The audience is fully engaged throughout the film.The deaf actors who portrayed their respective real-life counter parts were phenomenal but "Matt Hamill," played by Russell Harvard, stole the film. Harvard's likability and charismatic smile simply leap out of the film and into your heart. His on screen chemistry with "Kristi" played by Shoshannah Stern was also sincere and memorable. Furthermore, Harvard moves gracefully and with strong purpose during the wrestling scenes and was completely believable.The real Matt Hamill who during his formative years was trained in lip-reading by his grandfather Stanley, played by Raymond J. Barry, strongly encouraged the young Hamill to assimilate into the auditory mainstream. The old school "tough love" approach forced Hamill to accept the notion that he "was no different than anyone else." But in reality, he was different and needed a support system that understood his struggles and worldview. Harvard beautifully depicted Hamill's struggle to remain loyal to his grandfather's values while at the same time entering a new epoch at Rochester Institute of Technology.Cinematographer David Rom's artistic fingerprint added emotional balance to the film's scenes. A balance needed in most sports underdog films, which have a tendency to become extremely saturated with emotion-laced scenes. The movie as a whole was very memorable and enjoyable and has positive message that can be appreciate by both the Deaf and hearing communities.

Alex Duong Had the opportunity to catch the premier of "Hamill" at the AFI Film Festival and was very impressed. Speaking from experience in the developmental disabilities field, I resonated with the obstacles depicted in the film. The filmmakers & cast were fantastic at keeping away from the trap of being a charity case and kept on pushing as anyone with passion and struggles would. With solid performances from Russell Harvard, Shoshannah Stern & Michael Anthony Spady, the story flowed organically with our hero Matt going for his gold but ultimately being let down, sending him onto a different path. He realizes he must take several steps back in order to move forward along with a new love interest. With the help of his loved ones, He rises victorious as the first deaf wrestler to take the national collegiate title. "Hamill" did a fine job of bringing me deeper into the world of the hearing impaired and wrestling without holding my hand. I hope this film sees a wide release so it can educate, inspire, and continue to break ground.

ronirock Hamill is such a great movie! Breaking the barriers between the Deaf Community to the hearing. I loved the subtitles throughout the entire movie. Giving a new perspective into both sides worlds.The writing, editing, music and cast were all excellent! I wish I could see the movie again and bring all my friends and family this time. A must see inspirational heart warming movie. Russ Hamilton performance was outstanding! I'm not a big wrestling fan, but this movie goes way beyond the wrestling storyline. It shows a mans determination to succeed and live his dream.Shot in my home town of Rochester NY; this movie helps to also educate people about the NTID programs available to the hearing impaired students at the Rochester Institute of Technology. RIT - National Technical Institute for the Deaf - NTID is the world's largest technical college for deaf students. This movie is great for audiences of all ages!