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| Fighting | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 1 2009, 08:07 PM (113 Views) | |
| ChickMagnet09 | May 1 2009, 08:07 PM Post #1 |
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Fighting![]() ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Review: What's a nice Alabama boy like Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) doing in a rough place like New York City anyway? We never really learn the answer to that while watching the gritty new boxing drama Fighting, but it has to do with a violent falling out he had with his dad. Why he didn't choose a city closer to home rather than a place as oppressive, alien and overwhelming as Manhattan is never really clear, but we assume he wanted a major change in his life. If Shawn wasn't there -- peddling cheap goods and knock-offs on street corners (he probably has some Wolverine bootlegs for sale) -- then he would never have gotten pulled into the underground world of streetfighting and there would be no movie. A sort of Midnight Cowboy for UFC fans, Fighting finds Shawn recruited into the scene by struggling promoter Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard), a mumbling scam artist and street hustler with a heart of gold but not much respect from anyone in his scene. Soon, Shawn is kicking ass in backroom bouts and these two unlikely partners are poised to make some serious cash if they don't run afoul of the powers-that-be on the streets. Meanwhile, Shawn has fallen for an acquaintance of Harvey's, a club waitress named Zulay (named after the actress playing her, Zulay Henao). Zulay is a single mom who lives with an elderly relative (the hilarious, scene-stealing Altagracia Guzman) whose sole mission seems to be to keep Zulay and Shawn from doing the deed. Shawn also runs into an old adversary from his past, former high school wrestling mate Evan Hailey (Brian White), who -- you guessed it -- is Shawn's biggest rival in the world of underground fighting. Guess where the story goes from there. Fighting is an old-fashioned boxing melodrama reminiscent of the pugilist pictures of the '40s and '50s with a story is as formulaic as it gets: young fighter is discovered, young fighter brawls his way to recognition, finds love, and ultimately faces a seemingly unbeatable foe. There's even the old "throw the fight or die" chestnut tossed in for good measure. The characters and their relationships are also contrived and hokey -- simple-minded but lovable palooka, streetwise mentor-manager, working class girlfriend, shady promoters, and cocky rivals -- but they are rendered by the cast with enough sincerity and heart to make you largely overlook those shortcomings. But heartfelt delivery doesn't save the individual performances from being hit-and-miss. For every moment of sweet, simple sincerity, there are more moments when Tatum's Shawn appears borderline mentally challenged and unstable. He's like Forrest Gump and Jenny's son all grown up. While Howard's quirky turn as Harvey has been widely compared to a poor man's Ratzo Rizzo, he's at least the most interesting and multi-faceted character in the story. White, recently seen as John Cena's partner in 12 Rounds, is solid as Shawn's one-dimensional enemy, while Luis Guzmán and Roger Guenveur Smith appear in familiar roles as imposing street operators. Unfortunately, the cast's attempts at making scenes sound "real" -- awkward moments, mumbling and all -- instead play like a bad acting class exercise in improvisation. It's nice for a movie to reflect real life, but real life isn't always that interesting to watch. While I have to give props to co-writer and director Dito Montiel for trying to make the characters relatable, the movie grinds to a halt whenever they talk too much (and they do). When it comes to the bareknuckle boxing scenes, though, Fighting largely delivers. The fights, like the smaller character moments, play "real" in all their sloppiness and grittiness. However, Shawn comes across as more lucky than skilled and he never really seemed in any true danger of losing or being hurt. The audience I saw it with loved the fight scenes and appeared to enjoy the movie overall, but they struck me as the same people who might egg on someone beating the snot out of some poor bastard on a train station platform or outside a club. So if you like to scream "Fight! Fight! Fight!" when the opportunity presents itself then Fighting is a match for you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Video: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rating: 4/5 (****) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date Of Release: 5/23/09 |
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| Chris Moore | May 1 2009, 09:51 PM Post #2 |
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wow nice setup.. Looks like a fine movie, and it certainly was a fine movie. I just saw it. |
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| RyanWolf23 | May 2 2009, 11:22 AM Post #3 |
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RyanWolf23
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It looks like an exact copy of the movie "Never Back Down". I wouldn't see it. It seems like it would just be like watching Never Back Down all over again with different people. |
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