L'Ultime combat

That's certainly a true UK movie, far, far, far better than the US crap, such as ROCKY series and other SOUTHPAW with happy ending for sissies. This is TRUE life, true f... life. If you are depressed, ready to commit suicide, avoid this so beautiful but AUTHENTIC story about a world in which you are about to be crashed, poisoned, cheated and smashed if you are not lucky and strong enough to survive. Acting, directing, editing are superb. A so moving tale about a garbage world where only the strongest can make it in the end. Struggle, struggle and struggle again, that's the name of the game. Ken Loach could have made it. The social agency scene in the beginning reminded me I DANIEL BAKE. Such a shame that this beautiful little movie won't be released in France. Maybe in DVD only. A real must see.

Take everything you thought you knew about boxing movies ... and forget it.

Instead of a movie about someone looking to break into the sport, here is a movie about someone looking to break into Life, having wasted most of theirs. And boxing is all he knows.

It is a testament to the skill of the writer and director that, by the time the big fight arrives, you the audience don't have a clue how it will turn out. That by itself is an accomplishment.

Speaking of accomplishments, Harris hands us one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen. To re-use a tired cliché, he literally delivers most of his dialog in this film with his eyes.

And Winstone may possibly have delivered one of the most subtle and nuanced performances of his career, and makes max use of every second of screen time.

You could possibly say it is a modern update of Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). Or you could simply call it what it is -- an extraordinary movie.

Recommended? Hell, yes.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

There are only four or five reviews on this film thus far and the overwhelming majority rate it at 8 of 10, or above. There is always the token "nay-sayer", but, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Even when ridiculous.

This stellar film is about a Boxer struggling with alcohol and other demons were not privy to in the story. Nor does it make much difference as the film is more about the human spirit and will then anything else. Boxing is simply the vehicle it rides on that back of to tell its tale.

Anything with Ray Winstone and Ian McShane, IMO, is worth the price of a theater ticket. But , they have small roles in this film. They are, nonetheless, great in the scenes they are in, as expected. It's not the big Box office names that carry this heartfelt, gritty, anti-hero superb film, it's the awesome acting of Johnny Harris and Michael Smiley that make this bittersweet human interest story so great.

Of the decades of "Rockyesque" type boxing films, which are pure fiction, (although Rocky was a great film, every other, garbage) this was a realistic tale of a fighter down on his heels and suffering from life challenges, yet with a spirit unbroken. The protagonist is not out for fame and fortune, recognition nor revenge. He is an average man with little in his life and a loner. No spoilers here....so I won't get too into the plot. I will say, with absolute certainty......if you are a fan of witnessing the strength of the human spirit and like to avoid the big Hollywood type nonsense usually regurgitated every few years on the silver screen using Boxing as its venue, then you will love this film.

I highly recommend it. It is 90 minutes that passes like 20!

I really liked this UK movie about an alcoholic boxer who is down on his luck and is given a chance at redemption. Okay, not an original movie but certainly one where you care about the main character Jimmy. It could have been better, as it was slow in parts, but the last fifteen minutes are the best boxing moments I have seen in a movie. I was screaming at the screen for Jimmy (Johnny Harris, brilliantly played) and for him to recover from his pugilistic pummeling. Director Thomas Napper has done a great job, though he could have ramped up the tension if he's tried a little harder. Ian McShane and Ray winstone were only there to entice viewers to watch it and did very little for the film. But, nevertheless, I totally recommend this movie. I want to see more from Napper in the future.

To those who know the struggle, the story of this fight is as plain as a boxing glove smacking the nose on your face. It is most definitely not a boxing story, but boxing is a main character.