Plot
Barry Gabrewski is a troubled and bullied asthmatic boy who lives with his widowed father, Jerry (Beau Bridges), in Houston, Texas. A loner, Barry has vivid daydreams about being Chuck Norris' sidekick, and about battling against Norris' movie enemies. Said foes are often personified by Barry's everyday nemeses, such as class bully Randy Cellini (John Buchanan); Coach Horn (Richard Moll), their loudmouthed and demanding PE instructor; and apathetic Principal Mapes (Gerrit Graham). Noreen Chan (Julia Nickson-Soul), Barry's favorite teacher, often plays the damsel-in-distress in these daydreams, most of which parody assorted Chuck Norris films (notably Missing in Action , The Delta Force , and The Hitman ).
Barry wants to learn martial arts, yet he is rejected by arrogant dojo-master Kelly Stone (Joe Piscopo) –who also happens to be Randy's sensei –for being too weak. Instead, he is taken on as a student by an old Chinese man named Mr. Lee (Mako), Noreen's sly uncle and the owner of a local Chinese restaurant, "Frying Dragon". Mr. Lee finds creative ways of teaching Barry to defend himself from bullies; he devises training methods that increase Barry's endurance, thus helping the boy's asthma. Lee also deduces Barry's hero-worship of Norris from Barry's daydreams; he creatively incorporates this into Barry's training, devising scenarios that seem more dangerous than they are so that Barry will feel heroic for succeeding at them.
Lee enters himself, Barry, and Chan into a local team Karate tournament but is a bit stymied to learn that a team must have four members. Norris is attending the tournament as a guest and, at Lee's urging, Chan convinces Norris to join the team. Norris is both willing to help an ardent fan and has his own motivation for participating: he has encountered Stone on several occasions and wants to teach him "a lesson in humility". Barry is stunned to find himself working together with his hero.
The tournament involves four events: Breaking, Men's Weapons, Female Kata, and Freestyle fighting. Stone's team narrowly defeats Chan in the Female Kata, but Lee defeats Cellini, one of Stone's students, in Breaking. True to his word, Norris defeats Stone in Freestyle fighting, and Barry –aided by a vivid daydream –scores a victory in Men's Weapons. The result is a tie between Stone's team and Lee's team. In the tie-breaker, Lee is allowed to choose the participants, and chooses Barry and Cellini, saying Barry is the member of the team with "something to prove". Stone chooses the event, Breaking. Barry is dismayed to be confronting Cellini in the latter's best event, but Lee tilts the odds in Barry's favor by using a small amount of lighter fluid to set Barry's bricks on fire. Faced with a much more heroic-seeming task, Barry wins.
After the tournament, Barry is seen talking to Norris, thanking him for his help. Norris vanishes, and it is implied that Barry has found the strength to live his life without the need for his daydreams. A young boy in a wheelchair finds Barry's Chuck Norris magazine and reacts with an excited "Wow!"
A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany.
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. Shortly after, in Hollywood, Norris trained celebrities in martial arts. Norris went on to appear in a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film Lone Wolf McQuade, with both the film and the series starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full seasons followed with new episodes airing from September 25, 1993, to May 19, 2001, and reruns continuing on CBS until July 28, 2001. It has been broadcast in over 100 countries and spawned a 2005 television film entitled Trial by Fire. The film ended on a cliffhanger, which was never resolved. DVD sets of all seasons have been released. At various times since 1997, reruns of the show have aired, in syndication, on the USA Network and Action in Canada. Reruns are currently seen on CBS Action, WGN America, CMT, INSP, getTV, Pluto TV, Heroes & Icons, Grit, 10 Bold, Peacock TV, Up TV and Hulu.
Richard Jaeckel was an American actor of film and television. Jaeckel became a well-known character actor in his career, which spanned six decades. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor with his role in the 1971 adaptation of Ken Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion.
Makoto Iwamatsu was a Japanese-American actor, credited mononymously in almost all of his acting roles as simply Mako (マコ). His career in film, on television, and on stage spanned 5 decades and 165 productions. He was an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and Tony Award nominee.
"Forever" is a rock and roll and pop song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995). Columbia Records released it to American radio stations for airplay on June 18, 1996, as the album's fifth single. The lyrics, written by Carey, are about one's continued affection despite the end of a romantic relationship. She composed the music and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff. Described by critics as referencing American music of the 1950s and 1960s, "Forever" is a doo-wop-influenced sentimental ballad in the form of a waltz. Its composition includes keyboards, guitars, and programming.
James Franklin McIngvale, also known as "Mattress Mack", is an American businessman. He is known for owning and operating the Gallery Furniture retail chain, based in Houston, Texas.
James Hong is an American actor, producer and director. Known as one of the most prolific character actors of all time, he has worked in numerous productions in U.S. media since the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1950s. In 2022, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the American film and television industries.
Lone Wolf McQuade is a 1983 American Western exploitation martial arts film directed by Steve Carver and starring Chuck Norris, David Carradine, Barbara Carrera, L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, Leon Isaac Kennedy and Robert Beltran.
The New Adventures of Charlie Chan is a crime drama series that aired in the United States in syndicated television from June 1957 to 1958. The first five episodes were made by Vision Productions in the United States, before production switched to the United Kingdom under ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America.
Forest Warrior is a 1996 American adventure film starring Chuck Norris and directed by Norris's brother Aaron Norris. The film was released on direct-to-video in the United States on November 5, 1996.
The Hitman is a 1991 Canadian-American action film starring Chuck Norris. It was directed by Aaron Norris and written by Don Carmody, Robert Geoffrion and Galen Thompson.
Julia Nickson is a Singaporean-born American actress. She first came to the attention of audiences in the United States in the Sylvester Stallone film Rambo: First Blood Part II. She appeared in the 2004 film Ethan Mao and in the 2008 independent film Half-Life.
Richard Norton is an Australian martial artist, actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, security consultant, and fight choreographer. He holds a 5th dan black belt in Gōjū-ryū karate, a 6th dan black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an 8th dan black belt in Chun Kuk Do, and a level 6 ranking in American kickboxing. After high school, Norton worked as a bodyguard in the entertainment business before pursuing an acting career.
The Secret Value of Daydreaming is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon, released in 1986.
Mr. Novak is an American television drama television series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963.
Book of Love is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by New Line Cinema founder Robert Shaye. It is based on the autobiographical novel Jack in the Box by William Kotzwinkle.
Aaron Dee Norris is an American stunt performer, director, occasional actor, and film and television producer. He is the younger brother of action film star Chuck Norris.
An Eye for an Eye is a 1981 American crime action film directed by Steve Carver. It stars Chuck Norris, Christopher Lee, Richard Roundtree, Matt Clark, Mako Iwamatsu, and Maggie Cooper.
Charles B. Findley is an American trumpet player known for his diverse work as a session musician. He also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone. His technical abilities and versatility are renowned even among other session players, with the celebrated session horn player and arranger Jerry Hey saying "Chuck Findley can play anything".
