The Slammin' Salmon

Set in a high-end Miami seafood restaurant owned by former boxing champion Cleon Salmon (Michael Clarke Duncan), this fourth feature from the comedy troupe Broken Lizard isn't so much a story as a setup for a series of gags. In order to raise money to pay off a gambling debt, Salmon creates a contest in which the staff compete to see who can make the most sales—with added incentives: the winner will take home a cash prize, while the loser will be worked over by the champ. Duncan is funny here and so (intermittently) are many of the other eccentric characters involved in the ensuing mayhem, including stressed out manager Rich (Kevin Heffernan, who also directs); unstable schizophrenic server “Nuts” (Jay Chandrasekhar), who goes off his meds and off the rails; and bus boy Donnie (Paul Soter), who's promoted to waiter and plied with liqueurs until he can barely see straight (Soter also plays Donnie's twin brother, Dave, the psychotic head chef). Familiar guest faces from TV include Cobie Smulders, Will Forte, Carla Gallo, and '80s icon Morgan Fairchild (playing herself). But while The Slammin' Salmon boasts energetic comic performances, the too-familiar material—which leans heavily on bathroom humor and backstabbing shenanigans—stops this from being a keeper. Not recommended. (S. Axmaker)