SOUTHPAW

US, 2015, 124 minutes, Colour.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel Mc Adams, Forest Whitaker, Oona Laurence, 50 Cent Jackson, Skylan Brooks, Naomie Harris, Beau Knapp.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.


This is a surprisingly good film, even for those were not keen on boxing. It is definitely is a boxing film, two long championship fights, one opening the film, the other bringing it to a climax, as well as a charity demonstration bout, some fistfights and a great deal of attention given to details of training.

But, there is a great deal more to the film. In fact, several times the screenplay refers to redemption.

The central character is Billy, a middle-aged boxer, a world champion, with the significant surname of Hope. He is seen in the initial fight, fierce-looking, challenging his opponent, bloodied, determined and angry, but winning. He is played by Jake Gyllenhaal in a completely convincing way, his physical appearance making his performance as a boxer credible, the choreography of his fighting in the ring, the details of training. This is to the credit of Jake Gyllenhaal who, in recent years, has given extraordinarily different and fine performances in Prisoners as well as Nightcrawler.

He is encouraged in his career and in his life by his devoted wife, Mo, played very attractively by Rachel Mc Adams. Billy and Mo were both orphans and grew up in orphanages in Hells Kitchen, not far from Madison Square Garden where the first fight takes place. It is she who is the support, the strength in the family, the adviser about his career and contracts. It is an emotional shock when the situation changes. The young daughter, convincingly played by Oona Laurence, devoted to her parents but suffering the consequences of the shock.

Billy goes into freefall, falling lower and lower, ultimately losing everything, being banned from boxing, losing his house, family, on the streets and looking for some kind of employment – and redemption.

He wanders into a gym managed by Tick, Forest Whitaker, a sympathetic wisdom-figure, who runs a gym for training young men, especially black men, from the tough neighbourhood. But Billy is still particularly angry, is ordered by the judge to have anger management sessions, not to drink, not to take drugs, and make himself a proper guardian for his daughter. At first, he is so angry that he cannot bring himself to take on a menial job at the gym but realises that he must.

As might be expected, this is the first step on the road to some kind of redemption, of moving out of the depths.

An opportunity does come for him to fight again, to challenge the new champion, from Columbia, with the significant name of Escobar, whose defiance has been the trigger for Billy’s downfall. He trains, with Tick being supportive and giving good advice. Which means that the climax of the film is a long fight in Las Vegas, 12 rounds, with Escobar asserting himself, Billy fighting back, only a matter of points difference in the final decision. Whatever the outcome, Billy has controlled himself, has given his all to his boxing skills, has won the admiration of his daughter, guaranteed the loyalty of his supporters.

The film is well written by Kurt Sutter, who wrote many of the episodes four television of The Shield and Sons of Anarchy. Everything comes together well in terms of the story, the performances, the drama, the possibilities for some kind of hope and redemption despite the deepest of failures.

1. The title? A boxing film? A story of achievement, failure, redemption?

2. A New York story, the boxing world, Madison Square Garden, the ring, the dressing rooms? New York homes and mansions? Charity venues? The cathedral for the charity venue? Brooklyn, poor neighbourhoods? Las Vegas? The courts, social services homes? The gym? Bars? The musical score?

3. A film for boxing fans, the first fight and its detail, length, brutality? The fight in the foyer leading to the murder? The training sequences? The charity bout? The fight, competitive, rivalry? Editing, pace? The value of the commentary in the background of the fights?

4. The introduction to Billy Hope, the significance of his name? His fighting, determination, skills? Mo and the bond with her, love, her encouragement? Making the decisions? Supporting his win, the press conference, the challenge from Escobar? At home, love Leila, advising against the contracts? His speech, at the charity dinner, the suddenness of the shooting, the pathos of her death, the effect?

5. Billy’s character, past, the orphanage, meeting Mo and their friendship, in prison, boxing, training, fighting, winning, champion, tough? His skills, age? His fingers? His love for his wife and daughter? Tenderness with his daughter? The speech at the fund-raiser? Escobar’s taunts, Billy rushing to punch him, the fracas, leading to the shooting, the sadness of Mo’s death? The fact that there was no solution to who shot her?

6. The pathos of her death, the effect for Billy, her daughter, and their memories?

7. The aftermath, the police interrogating Billy, his going home, with Leila, his anger, the response of the media, getting the gun, his wanting vengeance, going to the door of the slum, the frightened mother, drugs, shielding her children, his walking away, vomiting? His drinking? Jon Jon and the car, Billy sending him away? Jordan, his manager, smooth-talking, the plans for fights, persuading him to sign the contract, not personal but business?

8. Billy and his despair, crashing the car, with the gun, alcohol, the arrest, and court, his anger, the judge and her comments, taking his daughter away, his not being fit father? One month to prove himself?

9. Billy and the depths, losing everything, having to sell the house, everything taken away, the auction? His wandering the streets, going to the gym, meeting Tick, talking with him, the issue of swearing, and the offer of the job, his anger and refusal?

10. The visit to his daughter, not wanting to see him, her anger, grieving at her mother’s death, wanting to be with her father? Angela and her role in supervising, having to fill out the form, the detail, the issue of the job? His return, discussions with Tick, finding him in the bar, offering to take the job, cleaning up, with the kids, the friendship with Hoppy?

11. The penalties, unable to fight, the different bans? At training, with the kids, Hoppy, concern about his life – and the story of his being shot by his father while defending his mother?

12. Going back to the court, the judge praising him, awarding custody, happiness of father and daughter together?

13. The demonstration fight at the cathedral, the exhibition, the possibility for Las Vegas?

14. The discussions with Tick, Tick training professionals, agreeing, strong and his advice, the language of God, the sequences with the exact detail of the
training regime?

15. Going to Las Vegas, Leila watching in the dressing room with Angela, Angela and her care for Leila and meetings with Billy, the experience of watching her father, the importance for her of being there?

16. The long fight, Escobar and his entourage, Jordan and his being with Escobar? Escaobar winning the championship, skills? Billy and his group, Jon Jon faithful? The details of the fight, the commentary, the ascendancy of Escobar, Billy coming back, the finals bouts, the points’ decision, his win, giving Tick the trophy?

17. Achievement, failure, determination, redemption?