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Sparring

  • 2017
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
729
YOUR RATING
Sparring (2017)
FrenchDramaSport

Steve Landry, an aging boxer with more losses than wins, accepts to become a sparring partner for an emerging champion in a last-ditch attempt to stay relevant.Steve Landry, an aging boxer with more losses than wins, accepts to become a sparring partner for an emerging champion in a last-ditch attempt to stay relevant.Steve Landry, an aging boxer with more losses than wins, accepts to become a sparring partner for an emerging champion in a last-ditch attempt to stay relevant.

  • Director
    • Samuel Jouy
  • Writers
    • Samuel Jouy
    • Jérémie Guez
    • Clément Roussier
  • Stars
    • Mathieu Kassovitz
    • Olivia Merilahti
    • Souleymane M'Baye
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    729
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Samuel Jouy
    • Writers
      • Samuel Jouy
      • Jérémie Guez
      • Clément Roussier
    • Stars
      • Mathieu Kassovitz
      • Olivia Merilahti
      • Souleymane M'Baye
    • 9User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos2

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top Cast50

    Edit
    Mathieu Kassovitz
    Mathieu Kassovitz
    • Steve Landry
    Olivia Merilahti
    • Marion Landry
    Souleymane M'Baye
    • Tarek M'Barek
    Billie Blain
    Billie Blain
    • Aurore Landry
    Tomy Leconte
    • Oscar Landry
    Lyès Salem
    Lyès Salem
    • Omar
    Ali Labidi
    • Ali
    David Saracino
    David Saracino
    • David
    Jolente De Keersmaeker
    • Professeur de piano
    Malik Bine
    • Malik
    Guillaume Clemente
    • Domingo
    Amir El Kacem
    • Employé Carrefour
    Moïse Santamaria
    • Vigile combat
    Mohamed Belhamar
    • Hocine
    Zakariya Gouram
    • Collègue Steve
    José Chacon
    • José
    Guillaume Hauet
    • Guillaume
    Tarak Labiodh
    • Adversaire combat final
    • Director
      • Samuel Jouy
    • Writers
      • Samuel Jouy
      • Jérémie Guez
      • Clément Roussier
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    6.4729
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    Featured reviews

    10alexgvft

    A must watch

    Great movie, inspiring, it's not about winning, it's about fighting against all odds until the bell rings. Great acting from The boxers and The daughter is also great. It's a Netflix treasure. Suitable for boxing fans and also for anyone who likes a good story. It reminds us about The importance of family and The sacrifices it requires. It's also a great reminder that Age is just a number. Good references to other great boxing movies like Rocky and Gladiator.
    9searchanddestroy-1

    A fantastic tribute to losers

    This film is for me a a sort of French FAT CITY. Remember the John Huston's movie from 1972, about losers in the fighting game and starring Stacy Keach. And a particular short scene in the beginning of both features can make you think about the link between the two movies; the sequence where the main lead urinate blood in the toilet. Yes that's a movie dedicated to those hundreds of shadow prize fighters who have sometimes dozens of defeats and nearly none victory in their honour list. A movie, this French one, so poignant, moving, cruel, painful. But certainly not totally hopeless. The tale of a tenth grade fighter who struggles to survive with his family and who accepts to serve as a sparring Partner. Terrific.
    10ditrij-jovanovic

    Film about the virtue

    Although he is not good and talented boxer he is real fighter who is ready to deal with difficulties of life like real man. That is not just described in ring but in his relationship with his family, his honesty, and his virtue gets the best from all people around him. Also, boxing scenes are great and real also as music.
    7kosmasp

    Beaten by life

    But still standing tall. This is not your flashy "Rocky" movie, something you should be aware from the start. And I'm not saying that one is better than the other. I'm just pointing out that you should not expect this to be a "winner" (or maybe it is?). Certain things are in the eye of the beholder. In this case you have a man who has failed more than once, but still keeps fighting and going on.

    You could see that as a symbol or parabel connected to real life. Some may feel the movie is too slow. And that feeling is not "wrong". Like it or not, the movie gives you the silent moments. Gives you character moments and breathes quite a lot. Which is almost ironic when you thnk about the main character and his "breathing" or sometimes issues to catch a breath, especially while fighting or sparring.

    Not for everyone as is evident by one reviewer here, but those who cherish it, will find a lot to love about this... almost a love letter to humans in general and their strong will - no matter how qualified or talented they are
    MovieIQTest

    Not a very logic one about boxing

    What we see here is a loser who did odd jobs to keep his family afloat, making his poor and miserable living with his family by either a punching bag for other famous boxing stars or kept losing in his own pathetic boxing fights, earning as little as getting his minimum wages. His facial wounds were an eye-sore proof of his every boxing aftermath, and he even pissing blood when he urinated that only showed he got some internal damages to his body. Yet what we saw in this film was a guy kept chain smoking and littered cigarette butts everywhere when he finished smoking.

    Was there any logic or a basic common sense in boxing? A boxer who not only smoked but chain-smoked. So except getting short breaths when he fought, his lungs could never provide him with enough oxygen. No wonder this moron kept losing fights. And every time when he lost, he smoked more to suppress his pains and loss.

    This is a pathetic film about a loser without any self discipline and basic knowledge, trying so hard to be a good husband and father with pipe dreams, making his living by using his body as a punching bag. The only comfort he got was his chain smoking.

    You don't have to watch it through, 'cause there's no need to waste your time, your sympathy, humanity, and compassion on morons or losers.

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    Related interests

    Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)
    French
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)
    Sport

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      It is Yves Afonso's last film.
    • Connections
      Referenced in kuji: Andrei Bupas: Joining Boxing (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      The Ballad of Michael Valentine
      Performed by The Killers

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 31, 2018 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Спарринг
    • Filming locations
      • Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France
    • Production companies
      • Unité
      • EuropaCorp
      • Canal+
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $165,548
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 35m(95 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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