a review of 永远不要放弃

Stand-up comedy may just be the thing that redeems the Happy Madison regulars. Adam Sandler wowed with 100% Fresh and Kevin James shows here that he's still a pretty affable guy. There's nothing to really distinguish James' cynical, annoyed-by-everything approach from the countless other comedians doing the same thing other than the fact that he's Kevin James, the guy who played Paul Blart. So the special is nowhere near as spectacular as the Sandman's, but it does deliver just under an hour-and-a-half's worth of laughs. The best material is of the self-depreciating kind. Where James pokes fun at his weight, laziness, and love of food. There seems to a dearth of good fat guy comedians at this time. So these more self-aware gags filled that void nicely. Brought back some fond memories of John Pinette. James has a knack for physical comedy as well. I'm not talking about falling down or any kind of slapstick. I mean he's good at capitalizing on a joke with a funny gesture, movement, or facial expression. All of this goes a long way to make for a serviceable stand-up special. It's most remarkable quality being that it feels like a genuine effort from a comedian known over the last few years for a string of critically panned movies and one somewhat controversial sitcom. Nothing too special, but an adequate good time.