THE BOXER 1997
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
2 :-) :-) for the Irish way of life
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily Watson, Brian Cox, Ken Stott, Gerard McSorley, Ciaran Fitzgerald Director: Jim Sheridan Screenplay: Jim Sheridan & Terry George
I usually dislike movies that carry a strong political agenda and when it concerns the IRA, the feeling sinks even lower. For one thing these movies contain too many bombings, innocent killings, human suffering and unhappy endings for my liking. Too much gloom and misery may be gut-wrenching informing, but it sure kills the entertainment in the industry. Fortunately, THE BOXER is more than just a political statement. Director Jim Sheridan shows us the feelings of loss and pain within a very closed secretive, community of the IRA. He paints for us a gritty world of genuine suffering with non-glamorised footage of the Irish world - cold concrete walls, perpetual grey skies, the rattle of machine gun fire in the distance and the cries of an unhappy nation shouting for independence.
What makes THE BOXER different is its approach to the subject material and also an outstanding performance from Daniel Day Lewis. It shows us how willing young lives are sacrificed for the belief in a single principle. It focuses on a man who is a victim of circumstance (Daniel Day Lewis). After being imprisoned for twelve years, he tries to rebuild his life after being released from the penitentiary. A poignant point is made when he realises that the best years of his life have been taken away from him, by and for the IRA. His potential to be a great boxer, his future, his childhood sweet heart, all the missed opportunities. It is heartbreaking to see this grown man try to salvage the remains of the day and to pick up where he left of with life. Fortunately, he sees the need for change, to unite Protestant and Catholic and sets about doing it the best way he knows how – through boxing. One of the most symbolic moments of the movie comes when Day Lewis is fighting an African in the boxing ring. His opponent is beaten, but instead of going on to finish the man with more strokes, he puts his gloves down. Basically saying that there comes a time to stop fighting.
This is thought provoking material, despite the fact that the ending is rather ambiguous. One isn't quite sure what happens to THE BOXER. Does he leave Ireland or does he go back to his neighbourhood? Otherwise this movie does make a valiant attempt to try to shed some unbiased views on the entire Irish Republican Situation.
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au Archives http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Tim+Voon Movies in Melbourne http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~bouclier/week/movies.html
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