The Movie Waffler

An out-of-shape boxer undertakes an extreme weight loss regime under the tutelage of an unorthodox coach.

Review by Eric Hillis

Directed by: Sean Ellis

Starring: Orlando Bloom, John Turturro, Caitriona Balfe

With the likes of Bang Bang, Day of the Fight and Heavyweight, we're currently in the midst of a wave of clever boxing movies that stick to the sub-genre's central themes while subtly reinventing the sports drama. All of these films share the same basic idea of a fighter getting a late shot at redemption, but they all handle this concept in very different ways. Inspired no doubt by budget restrictions, these films are less concerned with the action in the ring and more on the psychology of the fighters as they prepare to enter the squared circle.

Director Sean Ellis tends to make movies about men who are prepared to die to achieve their goals. We've seen this idea play out in his Philippines-set thriller Metro Manila and his WWII movie Anthropoid, and he now applies it to the world of boxing.

The only ring action we see here comes in an opening flashback to the disastrous fight that ended the career of an Irish pugilist credited only as "The Boxer" (Orlando Bloom). After being on top of the fight, The Boxer appears to zone out, allowing his opponent to pummel him. A decade later and The Boxer is running a gym with his former trainer/now romantic partner Caitlin (Caitriona Balfe), mopping up the blood of hungry young fighters and unblocking toilets.

An unlikely shot at redemption comes in the form of unscrupulous promoter Donny (Gary Beadle), who had arranged for his champion to fight a YouTuber. When the latter becomes unavailable, Donny offers The Boxer a chance to return to the ring. Ignoring Caitlin's fears, The Boxer agrees. The problem is, he's currently 26 pounds overweight and has only six days to get in shape for the fight.

Enter Boz (John Turturro), a controversial trainer who specialises in getting a boxer's weight down using extreme, and extremely dangerous methods. As The Boxer submits himself to Boz and his gruelling regime, he begins to experience hallucinations and memories of his troubled childhood in Northern Ireland. His determination causes a rift with Caitlin, who constantly clashes with Boz.

The title can be taken to have three distinct allusions. It could refer to the cut to his eye that ended The Boxer's career during that fateful fight. It could refer to the practice of "cutting" weight. It could also be a reference to something else that I won't spoil. This is boxing drama as body-horror, focussed intently on the ways some athletes are willing to punish their bodies to achieve their goals. It's a boxing movie where we're not entirely sure we want the protagonist to even make it to the ring, given the physical and psychological toll of his preparations. The voice of reason comes from Caitlin, who implores her lover to quit before too much damage is done, but he's too stubborn. Like so many protagonists of boxing movies, The Boxer has something to prove to himself.

The performances are varied. Bloom's Dublin accent is atrocious and makes little sense given how the character is from Northern Ireland. He often seems to be mimicking Conor McGregor. But you can't knock his commitment, his body looking like the actor went through just as punishing a regime as the boxer he's playing. Balfe is excellent as ever and brings much humanity to the story. It's Turturro who steals the show with an almost Pacino-esque performance, playing Boz with unhinged Mephistophelean malice. Turturro's Boz seems to thrive on the suffering of the men under his control, and there's something deeply unsettling about his boast of "you're my boy now" when he drives a wedge between The Boxer and Caitlin. He's a cross between Mister Miyagi and JK Simmons' maniacal music teacher from Whiplash.

The melodrama is undeniably hammy in parts, and this is a movie that's far some subtle. I'm not sure the flashbacks to the boxer's childhood - with its subplot of his sex worker mother (Clare Dunne) drawing the wrath of the IRA for servicing British soldiers - adds any extra psychological depth. But you can't help but succumb to the intensity of The Cut's hyperactive drama as it beats you into its corner. It may only momentarily enter the ring, but its central cast deliver their fair share of knockout blows. You certainly won't be tempted to throw in the towel with this macho main event.

The Cut is in UK/ROI cinemas from September 5th.

Streaming details by JustWatch

New Release Review - THE CUT