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Once upon a time, Sal (Toby Kebbel) was an up-and-coming boxer with hopes to compete in the Olympics - only this dream ultimately never materialized, and nowadays he works as a carer at an old folks home, and a pretty good one I might add. Sure, he still gets the occasional fight thrown his way by nis coash from back when Welly (James Cosmo), basically a wash up like himself, but mostly as a punching ball for up-and-comers, and these fights don't pay well. The rest of Sal's life is also in shambles, he lives sepatated from his wife (Elaine Cassidy) who lets him see their daughter (Kila Lord Cassidy) only once every full moon, is reduced to living in a trailer somewhere in a field, and his funds are permanently low. Then though he crosses paths again with Vince (Shia LaBeouf), a small fry crook he knows from back when who has only recently been released from jail. And Vince persuades Sal to be the referee in an illegal bare knuckles prizefight - for quick and good money. Now in his position, Sal can't be a chooser, and since it's easy money, Sal stays on for the ride - and he's eventually promoted to fighter even, and his experience in the boxing ring serves him well here. However, Vince has bigger goals, and they're a bit more serious (and illegal) than bare knuckles prize fighting ...

Despite being set in the world of (legal and illegal) prizefighting, with all the outbursts of violence firmly in place, this is really much more of a character piece that really comes into its own much more in its quiet scenes than its action sequences, thanks to a compelling script that comes actross as almost refreshng due to its makes its lack of exaggerations, and that makes its lead character above all relatable, his issues at their core palpable for it. And a competent cast as well as a suitably subtle direction onl.y help make this movie quite as effective as it is.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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