Rigged

I'm not even sure how to pronounce her name, but I will never forget the actress Rebecca Neuenswander in this movie. And I use the word "actress" instead of "martial artist," which apparently she is, because she is absolutely radiant in this movie.

She has a scene late in the movie where she's in a hospital bed. Her face is a mass of bruises, one eye is swollen shut, her lips are split, etc. Her manager comes to her side and she can barely talk, but says, "Want to hear something funny?" She then tells a story about how her parents kicked her out of the house at age 15 when they discovered she was gay that is absolutely heart breaking. Neuenswander doesn't milk it for sobs, but tells the story with a little smile on her face. She's a fighter, all right.

Tough as nails on the outside, tender on the inside. That's Katherine Parker, the role Neuenswander plays. The plot itself is a "Rocky" rehash that is clunky and improbable. There's an over-the-top plot device involving a crowbar. The ending is corny and pat.

Nevermind. See this moving to watch an stunning performance by a young actress. Neuenswander has made no other movie except this. Maybe she has other fish to fry. At least we have "Fight Night."

Neuenswander would be perfect to play Lisbeth Salander in the American remake of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." But that role will undoubtedly be one of the most sought-after by young actresses in recent Hollywood history.

Going in, you have to realize that this is a Freshman effort.

The is the only full length film for director, producer, and editor Jonathan Dillon.

It is the first film for writer Ian Shorr, and it is the only film for the star Rebecca Neuenswander (a fighter in real life).

Chad Ortis, who plays the con man who finds Katherine (Neuenswander), has only an episode of The Bold and the Beautiful under his belt.

A bunch of inexperienced actors in a low budget film doesn't always spell disaster. Despite the fact that the movie is filled with clichés, it keeps your interest, even though you know you will guess the ending.

The story line of this film is about underground boxing. Rebecca Neuenswander acts as a Katherine Parker, a young but promising fighter. Another key character is Michael Dublin (Chad Ortis), a young but experienced promoter. Not a hard guess that this couple has to get through this film in some interesting way.

All right, let me tell you what you won't see in this low budget project. There are no outstanding special effects, no expensive decorations, no catching breath stunts. At the same time, keep in mind that this film isn't just about fights for money, though Rebecca has done an excellent action job while standing against and knocking out numerous tough guys (a matter of taste and fighting experience whether you buy this or not, but I wouldn't say it's impossible totally). First of all, this film is about real life, real relationships and that bitter feeling when you've got nothing to lose, really nothing...

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Fight Night or "Rigged" as I was going through the movie channels reading different summaries of all the movies coming on that night. I'm interested in drama and crime movies and this was perfect. A great story of two lost souls that find each other and team together and as the movie goes on, you find the true in depth characters they both are. Chad Ortis plays the role of an underground hustler who tries to run illegal sporting events where he always tries to fix the outcome. Rebecca Neuenswander is one of plays one of the best roles I have seen played in a few years. She is an incredible fighter who goes around and easily defeats all of her opponents in this underground fight circuit. Ortis is obviously pleased with the outcome due to her being a huge underdog in every fight. One great aspect of the movie is the mood Director Jonathan Dillon adds. It is quite a dark mood with great "Friday Night Lights" type music playing throughout the movie which contributes to the viewers emotional attachment to the the movie especially, but also the Ortis and Neunswander. Another great aspect of this movie was it seems as the movies comes to close to a close that it is a predictable ending. That is not at all the case in this film. The ending is without a doubt fabulous. If you are looking for a great movie with an incredible story of greed, love, and dreams, I highly suggest watching this film.

There are several things to like about this movie, but I will place the bulk of my praise where it belongs: Rebecca Neuenswander. Without her, I doubt the movie would have been nearly as good. I read that Rebecca is a martial artist, and I believe it. You see in the movie that she is athletic; she moves like a fighter. Not only that, she is a fine actress as well. Exactly the qualities needed for the role of Katherine (and hence the movie). If Rebecca wants it, she has a career waiting for her as an action star.

This is an enjoyable picture, much more than I expected going in. The fight scenes are good, only slightly uneven in places. Story, character development, fine acting, they are all there. For a low-budget film trying to do something a little different, I think it turned out well. Definitely worth seeing.