by the numbers despite strong performances

Rating: Null/10 (14 May 2020)

Gyllenhaal--the product of an orphanage in Hell's Kitchen, New York--is a brash, undefeated light heavyweight boxing champion with a reckless fighting style that makes him a tough opponent, but also susceptible to taking excessive punishment. His life is still idyllic thanks to the support of his wife and daughter despite their well-founded reservations about his safety. When a personal tragedy occurs, he begins to unravel and his once prosperous career comes to an ignominious end. Some intentionally painful and ugly moments both in and out of the ring give you a sense of the dark path the lead character must walk down and endure, but it follows a much too familiar trajectory and builds up to a finale that you can see coming long before it ever gets there. Even with the work of quality actors who elevate the material, it still feels pretty routine. **½