Jawbone

Imagine if you can that Mike Leigh or Ken Loach decided to do a boxing film then Jawbone wouldn't be too far away from they would come up with and that is by no means a criticism in fact I really liked this. This is the story of a former youth boxing champion Jimmy McCabe who, after hitting rock bottom, returns to his childhood boxing club and his old team, gym owner Bill and corner man Eddie but to make ends meet he agree to take an unlicensed fight against someone much bigger and younger than himself. This film is not so much about boxing but about the struggle against alcoholism. Johnny Harris is brilliant and the troubled fighter and genuinely looks like he can box. There isn't a bad performance in this film. Ray Winstone and Ian McShane do what they do best and Michael Smiley is great also. If I has to pick a hole in this film and believe me it's hard . its that the person they got to be Jimmy's opponent didn't look like he knew how to box despite being ripped. Overall though a very good film.

Based on the lead actor's own life experiences a told to death boxing story is made with heart. The power-packed performance from all around the cast is the driving force of the film. This dark and gritty British drama has a final boxing match that has to be one of the most authentic representations of that sports in a film. Even though the story is predictable the film was able to keep me involved but still, there's nothing new in here either.

To those who know the struggle, the story of this fight is as plain as a boxing glove smacking the nose on your face. It is most definitely not a boxing story, but boxing is a main character.

A former boxer with promise returns to his old stomping ground on the mean streets of London hoping for one last chance of success

Stop me if you've heard this one before but .... what you stopped me as soon as I came to this page? Fair enough. JAWBONE is a traditional type of gritty drama of a washed out boxer trying to get his life back on track. If you're expecting the big budget feel good Hollywood factor try somewhere else because this is a gloomy British movie

Actually this is maybe a little bit too gloomy. It's got that British independent feel. It's well made where the social realism shines through but it's not a film where you walk out of the cinema clicking your heels. On top of that unlike a lot of boxing films you've seen from ROCKY to RAGING BULL director Thomas Napper ensures that if you're hit with a high velocity fist then it will hurt and cut you

One minor complaint is that some people be fooled in to watching a film starring Winstone and McShane and there can't be a single movie in Britain who doesn't love these two legends but the reality is their parts are minor with McShane literally appearing in one walk on scene . Instead it's Johnny Harris as boxer Jimmy and Michael Smiley who carry the film. Smiley in particular is very good but the story is one you've seen before

There are only four or five reviews on this film thus far and the overwhelming majority rate it at 8 of 10, or above. There is always the token "nay-sayer", but, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Even when ridiculous.

This stellar film is about a Boxer struggling with alcohol and other demons were not privy to in the story. Nor does it make much difference as the film is more about the human spirit and will then anything else. Boxing is simply the vehicle it rides on that back of to tell its tale.

Anything with Ray Winstone and Ian McShane, IMO, is worth the price of a theater ticket. But , they have small roles in this film. They are, nonetheless, great in the scenes they are in, as expected. It's not the big Box office names that carry this heartfelt, gritty, anti-hero superb film, it's the awesome acting of Johnny Harris and Michael Smiley that make this bittersweet human interest story so great.

Of the decades of "Rockyesque" type boxing films, which are pure fiction, (although Rocky was a great film, every other, garbage) this was a realistic tale of a fighter down on his heels and suffering from life challenges, yet with a spirit unbroken. The protagonist is not out for fame and fortune, recognition nor revenge. He is an average man with little in his life and a loner. No spoilers here....so I won't get too into the plot. I will say, with absolute certainty......if you are a fan of witnessing the strength of the human spirit and like to avoid the big Hollywood type nonsense usually regurgitated every few years on the silver screen using Boxing as its venue, then you will love this film.

I highly recommend it. It is 90 minutes that passes like 20!