Glass Chin

Greetings again from the darkness. "Glory Days, well they'll pass you by" is a familiar line sung by Bruce Springsteen, and writer/director Noah Buschel brings that New Jersey sentiment to his latest film. We follow the travails of a former boxer struggling with the faded spotlight and his perceived lack of respect, while also seemingly oblivious to the maintenance his personal relationship requires.

Corey Stall (familiar to "House of Cards" fans) plays Bud "The Saint" Gordon, a retired boxer whose self-named local neighborhood hangout recently closed its doors. Bud is trying to figure out how to reclaim the good life afforded by his boxing winnings, and is opposed to his girlfriend Ellen (Marin Ireland) taking a waitress job to help out. He agrees to train a young up-and-coming boxer prepare for a fight, while also agreeing to work with a shady shyster named J.J. (Billy Crudup). Bud and J.J. have a history, and it's soon pretty clear that J.J. is some type of offbeat (he owns a snow leopard) kingpin or mobster, who finds a financial and psychological edge in all dealings.

Yul Vazquez plays J.J.'s lead henchman and has the "flashiest" (his character name is Flash) role in the film, although Crudup's character could have been even more fun if allotted more screen time. Also making brief appearances are Kelly Lynch, Katherine Waterston, and David Johansen. Of course, Mr. Johansen is a former member of The New York Dolls, and their song "Trash" plays a key role in one of Bud's earliest scenes working with Flash.

There is an unmistakable class theme – the have's vs the have-nots. The two sides are clear in Manhattan vs. New Jersey, and J.J. vs. Bud. The most interesting part of the story is with Bud's attempt to figure out the harsh ways of life, even as we viewers recognize he requires no shades for his future. Although both themes are pretty familiar in the movie world, Mr. Buschel opts to only scratch the surface on both the faded hero and the mob world. Instead, it's more of a dialogue-driven drama that questions where the line in the morality sand is drawn.

Great cast, but did I miss something?. It was strange.

Did not see this one coming. I knew nothing about it. Billy Crudup is worth the price of renting alone. Even for Crudup, this is a new high. The dialogue and music are sensational. The minimalist long camera takes are refreshing and sublimely lit and framed. Marin Ireland and Corey Stoll and Yul Vasquez are wonderful. It is a little gem. They don't make movies like this anymore. It had some of that roaming quality of Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky. But it is also very tight in it's style. It is a comedy and a drama and a tragedy. An homage to old movies, but modern. It is very real, but also surreal. Just wonderful! If you love independent film you will love this movie I think.

Menace beneath the surface. Threat of violence always there but unusual for a boxing movie happens only off-screen. Acting top rate. Loved the camerawork. In some frames we are shown everything, others nothing.

7 of 10. As much as the tedious and overused music Rocky music gets used, having a serious critique of it and the use of music in training was definitely an unexpected bonus. While it creates a story about the underside of boxing and gambling, it does so by making it sexy, amusing, and dangerous.

After Foxcatcher (2014), I was hoping more films like this would turn up. Going beyond the simplistic and deceptive underdog sports/fighter hero stories is very much needed even if it lacks the guaranteed easy box office cash. It lacks the "based on a true story" element, but definitely feels as if you're observing a composite sketch of something people have actually seen.

The result is something along the lines of The Fighter (2010), with smart casting making up for lesser acting talent and an understanding for their setting and its visual/audio qualities making up for less production money.