Gloves Off

If this was made in the mid nineties it would have got similar plaudits as The Full Monty and Brassed Off. We are in different times but to me that doesn't detract from this easy and fun watch.

It doesn't tax your brain or overload your senses with special effects but it is a wholly enjoyable film.

Some great comedy moments and some heart wrenching ones too, a film to chill out to and not take too seriously.

Rocky meets The Full Monty.

This British comedy drama has some good character actors. Ricky Tomlinson, Paul Barber and Alexei Sayle. It is let down by a banal script that mistakes silliness for comedy.

Doug (Brad Moore) plays a once promising boxer. Now he is managing a boxing gym which has debts that he cannot pay. Some fight club type posh boys are pressurising him especially as one of the old geezers in the boxing club knocked one of them out.

One day Vera (Denise Van Outen) comes to his gym wanting Doug to train his son. When the money pressure gets too much for him, Vera who is a gypsy wants Doug to get her dim brother in shape for a £100,000 bare knuckle fight. This would enable Doug to pay off his debts but the brother has to win the contest and these types of fights get dirty very quickly.

The film has too many broadly sketched caricatures. Posh boys who think they are hard, Irish, gypsies. It feels dated and lazy.

I think that there must be two films, with the same name and same cast?!?

The cast are likeable enough - some real favourites - but the film is embarrassingly poor. We could imagine the silence at the first showing, post-production, with all cast and crew struggling to think of something positive to say to the director, whilst wondering what damage they'd just done to their careers.

As for the review comparing this to Snatch - what have you you been drinking? I'd like to try a pint.

The real mystery is that we watched it through - it was a really lazy, tired, Sunday night though...

I felt sorry for the cast, who somehow managed to throw themselves into this rubbish whole-heartedly. Pleased for them that this amazingly won a BIFFA for the best feature film. Wonders will never cease.

I've watched this film 3times I'm not very good at spelling so please excuse me lol.gloves off to me is very real life and I've been in situations where I needed money to keep the thing I love .there are loads of great points and the cast each played amazing parts .I watch films alot and I cant stand things that ain't true to life .since seeing this film I've looked at the cast and brad Moore has done some amazing films . North vs south, golden years,and gloves off are my favourites.keep up the good work lads and ladies keep them coming cant wait for the next one .I'll give gloves off top Mark's very real life .suppose you have to relate yr life facts to relate to this film .amazing

This film was very easy watching, great cast, light hearted and fun.