Worn Out

This formula is so hackneyed Frances Marion wrote it in its basic form back in 1931 for the father-son bonding and boxing film "The Champ," which was remade in 1979. Both of those films are schmaltz to begin with, but it's getting very trite by this point--the same junk assaulting the movie-goer over and over again. I'd think we'd all be so concussed from it by now that it'd be hard to feel anything for these already overly familiar characters in their already overly familiar story. This particular version of the script, for "Bruised," even includes some surprise sexual revelations and unexplained developments, such as one character showing up bruised and battered at one point without any reason being given. Not that it matters since the entire scenario could be better imagined by the viewer. In short, Halle Berry was handed a stinker for her directorial debut.

So, what does Berry do with it besides working out how to do the umpteenth variation on the sports movie training montage? Or trying to use slow-mo without seeming too hacky about it? I'm not interested enough in mixed martial arts to know whether the 50-something Berry is physically believable in the part, and I don't think it much matters. The boxing genre that the sport and this movie is derived from are full of geezers with a puncher's chance. Anyways, Berry goes the gritty route. A close and shaky cam, nighttime scenes and otherwise dark lighting, and even actual dirt on her face in front of the camera. In lieu of her characteristically glamourous star appearance, Berry goes half Nicole Kidman in "Destroyer" (2018) or Charlize Theron in "Monster" (2003)--as far as deglamorized looks, at least, if not character faults, as of course she's still required to fulfill the generic redemption arch. It kind of almost works until one remembers how uninteresting the character is and the dreadful, caged predictability of the scenario. Like using strained sports metaphors, "Bruised" is one clichéd punch and kick after another.

And what an awful few days for the sports drama after this and the release of the overrated Oscar bait featuring another actorly performance in "King Richard" (2021).