Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022) Dir. Daniel Graham

Written by and starring Matt Hookings, whose father was British Heavyweight Champion David 'bomber' Pearce, Prizefighter is a new drama about the origins of boxing and the life of Jem Belcher – the youngest ever world champion.

In 19^th century Bristol, Jack Slack (a burly Russell Crowe) contests bar-knuckle fights whilst taking his young grandson Jem under his wing despite the protestation of his mother Mary (Jodhi May). Jack sees himself as a replacement father yet bringing Jem to cock-fighting and brawls conflicts with his mother’s desire for her son to be shown love.

Jem however becomes jaded by Jack, whose womanising and heavy drinking wearies the young boy. Flash-forward a few years and Jem’s inherited (and natural) talents see him win an impromptu fight before meeting veteran boxer Bill Warr (Ray Winstone). Bill notices Jem’s combat skills and offers him a way out of his life as a blacksmith.

The historical context provides some surface-level exploration of masculinity but it more often than not revels its macho world, although to be fair it doesn’t shy from its raw brutality and subsequent effects.

Winstone, as the grizzled London boxing trainer and Crowe as the aged hot-head with animal instincts are perfectly cast of course. Additionally, both give the film gravitas and I’m not sure you could find two more “manly-men” if you tried which is a great coup for the filmmakers. In some aspects they overshadow Jem who can sometimes feel like a spectator in his own story.

A sepia glow captures the proceedings with the sweat and blood emanating from the screen. There’s A LOT of soft focus too, which although appears to want to hark to an antiquated time, is overused with the natural light over-exposing some shots.

However, the film moves at a pace, never staying on one event too long. It’s brash and macho in the right ways and it’s far more of an action-drama film than an investigation into the causes and context of historical violence. It attempts to touch on class divides but avoids any real discourse on ‘maleness’ and, in all honesty, it’s all the better for it as I’m not sure the film could successfully balance any more elements.

The middle slows somewhat but a particular incident with Jem’s eye sees his injury lead to a slow deterioration of his sight leaving him both physically and mentally vulnerable. There is however a Rocky IV-inspired training montage – eat your heart out, Stallone!

It all raps up with the obligatory “final” match – this time with the introduction of gloves as the sport begins to take shape and the flying fists and visceral combat are delivered as expected.

The film certainly has solid attributes across the board. And that’s strangely its biggest downfall too. It never really goes beyond anything other than solid despite all its successful technical and creative parts. It has all the required story beats of the naturally-skilled underdog, a brief love interest and a wise mentor but it doesn’t step outside the ring of its comfort zone.

That said, as a kind of Bristolian riff on Rocky lore, Prizefighter delivers jabs in all the appropriate places and should just about win you over on a points decision despite it not having a cinematic knockout punch.

★★★

Michael Sales