
It was just a year after UFC President Dana White laughed at the idea of women in the Octagon. In 2012, Ronda Rousey signed her contract as the first female UFC fighter. Instead, works of excellence will be noted with a Critic’s Pick designation across all coverage.Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Top 5 Female UFC Fighters (Part.1) () In the interest of consistency across all critics’ reviews, The Globe has eliminated its star-rating system in film and theatre to align with coverage of music, books, visual arts and dance. We see a mother slowly fall into a relationship that she never wanted in the first place, and as a director, Berry provides the true emotional punches that the film otherwise pulls. Most compelling, ultimately, are the moments between Jackie and her estranged son, the latter of whom is so traumatized by his past that he cannot speak a word. Still, the uneven script brings even the most authentic performances down. It’s refreshing to see a 55-year-old woman get the same opportunities any man would, and even more refreshing that her age isn’t an obstacle in the film at all. John Baer/Netflixīerry does some of the best work of her career as Jackie, fighting for her life on multiple fronts. Years later, she has fallen far from grace. In Bruised, Berry's character is a former mixed martial arts fighter whose last bout ended in a career-ending defeat. Plot-wise, though, Bruised doesn’t offer more than the genre has delivered time and time again, which is a shame because the film contains some remarkable performances.

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Suddenly, Jackie’s motivations move beyond money.īruised is a well-directed debut: Berry understands how to make a competent sports drama complete with all the emotional training montages and passion that viewers expect. Meanwhile, Jackie’s son, whom she abandoned years prior, ends up on her doorstep following his father’s death. With no prospects for steady employment, Jackie returns to fighting with the support of MMA league owner Immaculate (Shamier Anderson), who sets her up with Bobbi (Sheila Atim), another woman in a male-dominated space who attempts to train Jackie back into shape while also providing the stability that Jackie needs. An alcoholic working odd jobs as a cleaner (though she always seems to get fired because of her anger issues), Jackie lives with her former manager and sometimes abusive boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto), who frequently begs her to get back into the ring. Years later, she’s fallen far from grace. John Baer/Netflixīerry plays Jackie Justice, a former mixed martial arts, or MMA, fighter whose last bout ended in a career-ending defeat.

Scenes between the two are among the most compelling in the film. With Bruised, the new film written by Michelle Rosenfarb and starring Halle Berry (who also makes her directorial debut here), the sports-drama formula is very slightly updated – mostly because the film focuses on a woman.īerry in a scene with Danny Boyd Jr. You watch them because you’re looking for the familiarity of a redemption arc. You don’t watch a film from the extended Rocky universe because you’re waiting for a profound plot twist.

A fallen hero or underdog has one chance to prove that they can win the big game while simultaneously battling whatever family drama (estranged or dead wife/parent/child). Sports dramas are some of the most predictable films produced.
