Prizefighter: The Life Of Jem Belcher =LINK=
Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher is a 2022 British-American biographical drama film about the birth of boxing, written by and starring Matt Hookings. The film explores the life of Jem Belcher who became the youngest ever world champion. Jem was partially blind at the age of 22 and dead by the age of 30. The film stars Matt Hookings as Jem Belcher, Ray Winstone as his trainer Bill Warr and Russell Crowe as Jem's boozy grandfather Jack Slack. Marton Csokas, Jodhi May, Steven Berkoff, Julian Glover, Julius Francis are the supporting cast.
Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher
Although based on real events, the film is a largely fictitious re-imagining of the life of Jem Belcher from when he grows up watching his revered grandfather Jack Slack fight as a bare-knuckle pugilist. Jem is constantly warned by his mother Mary Belcher against following his grandfather's life as Prizefighter. One afternoon, Jem spots an opportunity for some coin and fights in a fair easily defeating the troupe's champion, Bob 'the Blackbeard' Britton. He is spotted by Bill Warr, who approaches Jem to come fight for him. His mother is appalled but the older Jack, advises him that if he maintains discipline unlike himself, he could become a true champion. Jem takes to prize fighting with ease and is quickly pitched against the champion of England, who he manages to defeat after being coached by Bill. He is revered around the country and Mary is shocked to hear how far and quickly her son has risen. Jem though like Jack takes to the lifestyle of a fighter poorly and is intoxicated by the trappings it provides. In no time he starts losing discipline and meets with Lord Rushworth who introduces Jem to the vices of gambling and drinking.
Parents need to know that Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher is a bloody and violent drama about a real-life British boxing champion in the 19th century. Inspired by his grandfather Jack Slack (Russell Crowe) and under the guidance of trainer Bill Warr (Ray Winstone), Jem Belcher (Matt Hookings) boxes his way out of poverty and into Britain's high society. Although he loses his way -- to drink and the company of women -- he regains his focus and learns some important lessons along the way. The boxing scenes -- most of which are bare-knuckle -- are brutal and bloody. Characters are punched, headbutted, elbowed, and knocked unconscious. During one fight, Belcher has to have his eye popped back into its socket, although this is implied rather than shown. Warr is forced to cut the eyelid of Belcher's other eye in order to relieve swelling. Gambling features heavily, including on cockfighting, which although not graphic may upset some. Language includes variants of "f--k," most of which come from Warr. There are several sex scenes, though these are brief and don't contain any nudity. During a debauched party, a topless woman serves drinks. Characters are regularly shown drinking, with Slack appearing to have an alcohol use disorder.
Despite being based on a true story and set in 19th century England, this British boxing movie follows a well-trodden path seen in countless sporting dramas before it. Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher is a classic rags-to-riches, back-to-rags tale, with its central character learning some important life lessons along the way. There are even a couple of training montages thrown in for good measure, complete with Belcher -- played by Hookings, who also wrote the screenplay -- having to catch a fish with his bare hands and being intentionally stung by a river snake. The film is given some gravitas by a couple of heavyweights in the shape of Russell Crowe, who plays Belcher's troubled grandfather, and Ray Winstone, who plays the young boxer's weathered trainer.
However, even they play up to clichéd caricatures of themselves. Crowe's Jack Slack gruffs and hits his way through the opening 30 minutes, never quite mastering the English West Country accent. Meanwhile, Winstone is responsible for around 90% of the entire film's cursing -- "f--king" being a particular favorite of his character, Bill Warr. The movie's fight scenes are relentless, bloody, and at times gory. But they're well choreographed, and Hookings is believable as the tip-toeing, hard-hitting Belcher -- Hookings' real-life father was a boxing champion of some note. Yet while Belcher's feint, move, and hit prove unpredictable to his opponents, the same can't be said for the plot, and for that reason it fails to land any memorable punches.
This biographical drama, about the birth of boxing as a sport, explores the life of Jem Belcher, who became the youngest ever world champion boxer, and the Champion of England. Growing up watching his revered grandfather Jack Slack (Russell Crowe) fight as a prize fighter, the young Belcher (Hookings) follows in his footsteps, despite the cries of his mother (Jodhi May) and at age 22, was left partially blind before he died at the young age of 30.
Jem Belcher, the grandson of a former boxer, fights against the odds to become the youngest ever Champion of England. After a life-changing accident risks ending his career, Jem must prove himself again and fight to reclaim his title. Prizefighter is awe-inspiring incredible true story of the greatest boxing story never told.
Review by Rich Cline dir Daniel Grahamscr Matt Hookingsprd Matt Hookings, Chris Hardmanwith Matt Hookings, Ray Winstone, Russell Crowe, Marton Csokas, Jodhi May, Julian Glover, Steven Berkoff, Ricky Chaplin, Lucy Martin, Stanley Morgan, Olivia Chenery, Spike Howellsrelease US/UK 22.Jun.2222/UK 1h47Is it streaming? Powered by Bristling with earthy grit, this period drama traces the origins of boxing as a sport at the turn of the 19th century. It was far more brutal then, even as they began using gloves. The filmmaking is florid and over-serious, which allows director Daniel Graham to sidestep bigger themes that might have made its story resonant. But the characters and their inter-connections are strong enough to hold the interest.Growing up in late 1700s Bristol, the small and badly bullied Jem (Howells) watches with admiration as his hard-drinking granddad Jack (Crowe) takes on opponents bare-knuckle in fields. Jem's widowed mother Mary (May) severely disapproves. Then a decade later Jem (now Hookings) spontaneously demonstrates his natural skill in a carnival match and is taken on by veteran trainer Bill (Winstone). By 1800, he's impressing London society, living the high life and taking on the middleweight champ to win the title. Of course, fame and fortune bring ups and downs, including problems with injury and alcohol.Graham and writer-actor Hookings recount this story with heightened atmosphere, using vivid settings that are deliberately grubby and underlit, while encouraging the cast to go for engaging scene-chewing performances, complete with viscerally grisly flight choreography. The usual themes emerge as Jem is propelled into the upper crust, mixing with members of the nobility who might be more dangerous than his opponents in the ring. These include the preening showman Lord Rushworth (Csokas), who helps build up his public persona before moving on to new blood.Hookings looks terrific in the role, with his natural athleticism and charismatic personality. He exudes determination each time Jem has to prove himself. Winstone and Crowe offer gravel-voiced performances as salt-of-the-earth men who call it as they see it, take no nonsense, and so on. They also cleverly find warmth in otherwise aggressive relationships with Jem. By contrast, May has little to do but look pious and/or wounded, but she still registers strongly. And a bit more texture would have been welcome involving Martin and Morgan as Jem's supportive siblings.While the script plays loosely with the facts of Jem's life, there are plenty of intriguing topics thrown around along the way, including the idea of success fuelled by self-doubt and the legacy violent fathers pass to sons and grandsons. And Jem's journey requires him to find a lot of focus (cue another training montage), especially as he returns for a climactic comeback match that also comes with a huge swell of emotion.tt4471908 themes, language, violence, sexuality 18.Jul.22 R E A D E R R E V I E W S
In the 2250s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury, and debauchery of their seemingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.
Saw this on a lark. It's a strange movie, in that it kind of plays into underdog sports movie tropes, except it's clear that Jem Belcher isn't an underdog. He is England's youngest boxing champion, and the grandson of an already noted fighter. The film ends up fabricating a lot of conflict to make it seem like it was a struggle for him to get to that point, giving him a wary mother and a tragic scene with his grandfather, giving portentous warnings about going through life alone or whatever.
At the turn of the 19th century, Pugilism was the sport of kings and a gifted young boxer fought his way to becoming champion of England. Jem Belcher, the grandson of a former boxer, fights against the odds to become the youngest-ever Champion of England. After a life-changing accident risks ending his career, Jem must prove himself again and fight to reclaim his title. Prizefighter is an awe-inspiring incredible true story of the greatest boxing story never told. Starring Matt Hookings, Ray Winstone, Marton Csokas and Russell Crowe. 041b061a72