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'FIRST MATCH': Four Stars (Out of Five)

The new Netflix drama about a teenage girl from Brooklyn's Brownsville, who's spent years in foster care, that decides that joining the boy's wrestling team is the only way to reconnect with her estranged father. It was written and directed by Olivia Newman, and it stars Elvire Emanuelle, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Colman Domingo, Jharrel Jerome, and Jared Kemp. The film was released by Netflix through it's streaming site, and I found it to be a bit of a tearjerker at times.

Monique (Newman) is a teenage girl from the Brooklyn Brownsville neighborhood, who's spent most of her life growing up in foster homes. She really wants to reconnect with her father, Darrel (Abdul-Mateen II), and she thinks the only way she can do this is by joining the boy's wrestling team. The team even allows her to play, and she's good at it, but of course this isn't enough to win over her hard to pleased dad. So things become more extreme.

The movie is a little slow-paced, and too reminiscent of other similar themed dramas, but I have to admit that (towards the end of the film) the drama really got to me. Especially the climax. The two leads are really good in their roles (especially Emanuelle), and the movie really becomes a touching father/daughter love story at the end. There's even some exciting fight scenes in it as well. I definitely recommend it.

It starts okay. it gets better. a very well polished coming of age story. i loved the ending. i loved how the notebook ties everything together so neat.

Great Movie that showed the struggles of a teen trying to be accepted in her environment. I love how this movie not only shows this but also ties it in metaphorically with what she is wrestling with, and shows the battles she has to endure to overcome her biggest challenge. Elvire Emanuelle did an Amazing job Portraying that character. Great Cast and Film!

Great story line not predictable at all. New cast did a great job. Definitely a must see

I loved that it was very authentic and the acting was great. Sad to see how some parents ruin their kids' lives and have such bad influence. This film is inspiring and shows the true power of will and complexities of our society. That poor girl really had it rough. Being a girl in a place where girls are only being sexualised, poor and basically almost homeless, with a beatup dad who only tried to use her, and a few good people on the way.