Knuckle

Director Ian Palmer had a contact with Irish 'traveller' families and he became interested in their ways. In particular he sought out the semi-ritualized bare knuckle fights which solve (and re-kindle) their feuds. This feature-length documentary has been gestating for over a decade. Palmer's film partly appeals because of the secret nature of the age-old practice and the raw brutality of some of the moments caught on film. It grabs the same part of the psyche that responds when the ugly cage fighting is on (Cable) TV. Of course bare knuckle fighting isn't the invention of the 'tinkers' – it was common throughout England in the 19th century – it just looks weird now as an atavistic survival amongst these sprawling, huge, feud-locked families. Some of Palmer's subjects are great documentary material, especially his lead character who keeps fighting (and winning) but who has begun to felt heart-sick at the whole thing. You can also see the well springs of renewal in the adoring faces of the little boys who shadow box and dance around him as he comes home victorious. This is what it means to be a real man in this community. The old men are involved too, usually as referees (there are rules as we discover when young aspirant loses the plot and is disqualified for a bit of the old Mike Tyson face-biting). Away from the blood lust and excitement of the back lots and lanes, the members of the various feuding families – the Quinns and the Joyces – pontificate on what the point of it all is. "It's not just wars", says one man, "it means something." But the remark hangs in the air precisely because, as Palmer's haunting doco shows, this might no longer be true, if it ever was. There is individual heroism here but increasingly the sad idea takes hold that this dying form is just a huge cannibalistic waste of community energies.

Ian Palmer's fascinating look into the oft hidden world of traveling Irish gypsies and there subsequent bare knuckle boxing is a raw unflinching documentary that while not offering any concrete answers as to why these things happen it's still a must see account of some wholly original real life characters and lifestyles.

Make no doubt about you will need to have subtitles on for Knuckle for it features a set of Irish men whose accent is so thick you would be hard pressed to understand a single sentence. The focus of Knuckle and these men is on James McDonagh a man who has never lost a fight and amongst his fellow kin is likened to some sort of Irish boxing God. James is a bewildering character but an ever watchable one, witness as he proclaims his fighting days are over only to again return to the arena to uphold is families name once more. Capturing James and his family over twelve years is director Palmer who deserves much credit for his work here.

Palmer's direction is not professional in any stretch of the imagination but what it is true to the subject and his ability to have an unflinching eye on proceedings of these family feuds should be commended. With Palmer's hand behind camera the film never feels like it is taking a side in the story or pointing fingers at anyone whether they seem right or wrong, it's a bold directional decision yet allows the film to play out in non-intrusive way.

Knuckle is a gritty violent film that some will find truly repulsive, Knuckle is also a must see for what happens in this story is real, the people are real and the emotions are real. If someone were to make a movie of this story it would seem unrealistic yet here we have an unquestionably honest look at a world that many would prefer not to acknowledge, put it this way if you thought Brad Pitt was the quintessential gypsy boxer you ain't seen nothing yet.

4 swollen knuckles out of 5

I got to watch this documentary a couple of days ago and it's a very troubling film about families whose feuds go back more than 40 years that doesn't give any explanation on how it happen. It could be some of those family members had long past on but still it gives you a very disturbing view on how these families would settle a knuckle fight in wanting to settle the scores. The one thing that was troubling me of watching it were the children that had to see their fathers beat the other family up which to me it's a sign of abuse of what their witnessing which I sincerely hope they don't end up growing up like their fathers in wanting to slug a family member. The real heroes go to the wives & mothers who simply want this feud to end so they can be a family again and put aside petty problems that has been going on for too long. I sincerely hope after they watch this film they need to realize this can't continue any longer.

A great film that i will watch again and again, the low rating is just not justified, this is pure adrenaline and compassion at the same time. A raw in depth documentary not to be missed, a look into the normally very private lives of the Irish travellers. This isn't just fight after fight it shows why and how the family's solve there feuds. some of the footage is a bit sketchy but takes nothing away from the film if any thing adds to the gritty compelling nature of this feature. Although i would say this isn't for the feint hearted and contains some very brutal real life bare knuckle fights, this is still a very good film that every one should see.

Everybody has there their own views on travellers . Most of which would not be printable . Knuckles is a film that follows a group of feuding families over a 12 year period who try settle their differences by bare knuckle boxing. This is a rare and fascinating look into a side of life that non travellers very rarely see. These men , who have genuine hate for each other , pitch up and fight sometimes for hours , for the honour of their families and also for big big money. What surprised me about these fight is that it is not as unruly as you might imagine. There is a referee who pulls the fighters apart and keeps order and the families who hate each other are not allowed to watch so to avoid brawls. Another this is , is that they very rarely actually knock each other out. Because these are proud men , they don't stop , so eventually fatigue becomes the winner.

I really enjoyed Knuckles. It showed a group of people who are so fiercely proud of the families they belong to but have an almost Neanderthal way of life.

Well worth watching.