The Hammer

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 , 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 Raymond J. Barry as Stanley, Hamill's grandfather Shoshannah Stern as Kristi, Hamill's girlfriend 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 (nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Short Film, Nice IFF 2018), Gavin Bellour, Stephen Dodd, Theodore Conley, Courtney Halverson, and Susan Gibney. 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.