The Cut

The Cut delves into the brutal reality of cutting weight before a fight, exposing the physical and psychological torment that comes with it. Orlando Bloom's character grapples not only with the immediate toll of the process but also with the shadows of his past, creating a layered and compelling journey toward the finish line. The storytelling captures this struggle with raw intensity, making for a powerful and gripping watch.

This underrated drama - that looks very like Stephen King's novel THINNER - is about prizefighting belongs to the most interesting, as were FAT CITY- 1972 - THE SET UP - 1949 - prizefighting plots showing losers, second rate boxers. Nothing to do with winners, nothing to do with ALI, RAGING BULL, SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME, BODY AND SOUL, GENTLEMAN JIM. It is question here of those kind of fighters whom we never hear of, never talk about, and encountering issues which we never think they only existed. Here, losing weight. It is exciting, gritty, riveting, jaw dropping. A pure little gem. The behind the scenes of prizefighting world. Fascinating.

The cut movie poster got me so hyped to watch the film. But after watching it, I was really disappointed. I thought it was about boxing, but it turned out to be about weight loss instead. Orlando Bloom's performance is amazing, but overall, the movie didn't meet my expectations.

This my opinion only.

The Cut attempts to stand out within the boxing genre, but the result feels more bizarre and exaggerated than genuinely fresh. Its excessive focus on unpleasant physical details overshadows any deeper dramatic exploration. While the performances and raw atmosphere have a certain authenticity, the clichés and overstatements prevent the film from achieving true depth. In the end, the director's courage to experiment is noteworthy, yet the outcome remains shallow and predictable. Rather than a successful reinvention, it comes across as a failed experiment.

The Cut is the slick new boxing drama by British director Sean Ellis. Except it's not really about boxing.

Orlando Bloom gives a great physical performance as an unnamed boxer who is thrust back into competition 10 years after a knockout blow ended his career. The problem is he has to lose 30lbs in a week.

The movie is propulsive and no scene ever outstays its welcome, with tense moments as Bloom races against the clock and fights both his body and mind to meet the deadline. As the deadline nears he becomes ever more desperate to make the cut and the Bloom begins to lose his grip on reality.

Bloom and John Turturro, his lose-fat-quick trainer, are both exceptional and whilst Oscar nominations might be out of this movies reach, could definitely get the nod for Baftas.

Also worth a shout for a nomination is criminally underrated director Sean Ellis, who I've been a fan of since I came across Metro Manila. Some of the reviews for this movie have been quite negative about the filmmaking but I thought it was once again excellent. His style is simple yet kinetic, effortlessly rachetting up tension and leaving the audience with some questions that allow us to think deeper about the themes.

The Cut is presented as a movie about boxing, but it's really about how far you'll go to achieve a goal, and whether you can muster the mental strength to achieve it. The title itself can refer to many different types of cut, and the movie itself pulls on many different strands.

7/10.