NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The sports movie, like any genre, can easily fall victim to overly familiar story beats. An underdog challenger. A big match. You know how the rest goes.
But a trio of new movies brings some original moves, and a few curveballs, to a genre where tried-and-true formula often reigns supreme. In a movie year that鈥檚 already given us 鈥� a tennis movie that has almost nothing to do with tennis and everything to do with the dynamics of a threesome 鈥� these movies carve out their own place in the hard knocks world of sports dramas.
Each, curiously enough, is a directorial debut by an industry veteran. And each features, among other fine performances, one of the great standbys of the sports film and the abiding refuge of great character actors: the inspirational coach.
鈥淒ay of the Fight鈥�
Jack Huston鈥檚 currently playing in theaters, stars Michael Pitt as down-and-out middleweight boxer 鈥淚rish鈥� Mike Flannigan. He is, like some battered boxers before him, seeking redemption. Flannigan鈥檚 once-promising career was long ago derailed by a fatal drunk driving accident. But on this day, he鈥檚 preparing for an unlikely opportunity: an undercard bout at Madison Square Garden.
鈥淒ay of the Fight鈥� is loosely based on the 1951 Stanley Kubrick documentary short of the same name, and it鈥檚 likewise in black and white. Huston, the 鈥淏oardwalk Empire鈥� actor and grandson to director John Huston, has mulled the movie since watching his 鈥淏oardwalk鈥� co-star Pitt, the sometimes troubled but always talented actor.
鈥淚 had in my head this image of Michael Pitt punching a sandbag when we were on the set of 鈥楤oardwalk,'" says Huston. "I think his life in a strange way mimics that of a boxer 鈥� sometimes the ups, sometimes the downs. Specifically where he is in his life right now, he has the essence of that boxer mentality. He can take a punch but, guess what, he keeps standing up.鈥�
鈥淒ay of the Fight鈥� culminates in the Madison Square Garden match, but the movie is largely about the preamble to the fight. The movie follows Flannigan on a series of poignant errands.
鈥淚 wanted to make a film where you didn鈥檛 necessarily need the boxing match,鈥� Huston says. 鈥淭he boxing match became icing.鈥�
The film instead evolves as an elegiac character study of a man, pummeled by life, trying to put things in order.
鈥淢e and Michael used to speak about how you can walk into any boxing gyms and you鈥檇 find multiple stories just like Irish Mike鈥檚,鈥� says Huston. 鈥淭hese guys go through it. I think that鈥檚 probably why their world is so fascinating to us.鈥�
CORNERMAN: Ron Perlman. Though 鈥淒ay of the Fight鈥� is graced by a several father figures (Joe Pesci, Steve Buscemi), the one that really stands out is Perlman鈥檚 coach. Perlman, the spectacular character actor, has all the gravitas and crustiness you鈥檇 ever want in a boxing coach.
鈥淯苍蝉迟辞辫辫补产濒别鈥�
William Goldenberg, the Oscar-winning editor (鈥淎rgo,鈥� 鈥淗eat鈥�) directs this based-on-a-true-story drama , played by Jharrel Jerome. The film, which arrives Jan. 16 on Prime Video, chronicles Robles鈥� constant hardships, not the least of which is that he was born without his right leg.
While 鈥淯苍蝉迟辞辫辫补产濒别鈥� does steer toward the moment of ultimate triumph for Robles, it carefully and naturally dramatizes his long road to the championship. It鈥檚 less about Robles鈥� overcoming one challenge than it is about his perseverance through constant adversary. Jennifer Lopez co-stars as his mother, with Bobby Cannavale as an abusive step father.
鈥淎t a certain point, it鈥檚 a movie about an athlete who wins, so there鈥檚 going to be certain tropes that are unavoidable. And I didn鈥檛 want to avoid them,鈥� says Goldenberg. 鈥淚 just wanted to try to do them in an organic, real-feeling way. Shooting handheld was the idea that we鈥檙e with him along the journey, so you feel like you were facing the challenges he faces.鈥�
鈥淚t was a constant battle,鈥� says Robles. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of how I felt going through my life, whether it was on a mat against a flesh and blood opponent or it was in my family life or the world. There was always something I was fighting against.鈥�
鈥淯苍蝉迟辞辫辫补产濒别鈥� is unique for another reason. While Jerome, the charismatic up-and-coming actor of 鈥淢oonlight," bulked up for the role and devoted himself to shadowing Robles, he couldn鈥檛 do everything that Robles could. For the wrestling scenes, Robles was Jerome鈥檚 body double.
鈥淚 signed on to the movie and then I was like: How am I going to do the wrestling?鈥� says Goldenberg. 鈥淚 watched so many hours of him wrestling. I thought, there鈥檚 no way I can do this without him doubling himself. He moves in a way that I just thought no one could ever master.鈥�
CORNERMAN: 鈥淯苍蝉迟辞辫辫补产濒别鈥� is the rare sports drama to give you not just one excellent coach, but two. Because it spans Robles鈥� wrestling career in high school and college, we first get Michael Pe帽a as his most devoted supporter, and, later, Don Cheadle as his initially more skeptical coach in college.
鈥淭he Fire Inside鈥�
directed by decorated cinematographer Rachel Morrison (鈥淔ruitvale Station,鈥� 鈥淢udbound鈥�), is also about a real champion, the Olympic gold medal winner (played by Destiny Ryan).
The first half of 鈥淭he Fire Inside,鈥� which opens Dec. 25, is somewhat conventional, albeit crafted with a keen sense of texture and the local flavor of Flint, Michigan, where Shields was from. It charts her rise as a female boxer leading up to the 2012 Olympics. Once she's won gold, you might even glance at your watch and wonder why they wrapped things up so quickly.
But the film, scripted by , the 鈥淢oonlight鈥� director, then turns into something else, something more interesting. Shields鈥� glory is short-lived. No Wheaties box covers come for her. A tough Black woman in a bloody sport who makes no apologies for her interest in knocking out her opponent, is unappealing to marketers. As 鈥淭he Fire Inside鈥� continues in its thought-provoking third act, it asks questions less about who wins and more about who gets to be deemed 鈥渁n American hero.鈥�
CORNERMAN: plays Shields鈥� devoted cornerman Jason Crutchfield for the duration, from her first jabs in the gym to her post-Olympics struggles. Henry, a tender and soulful actor in everything, is more of a co-star than a supporting player. Of all the coaches in these three films, he鈥檚 the one you鈥檇 most want cheering you on.
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
