Day of the Fight
The actor Jack Huston proves his worth as a writer/director with his memorable boxing drama.
Michael C. Pitt and Ron Perlman
Image courtesy of Icon Film Distribution.
It has been pointed out that this feature-length work shares its title with a short film about boxing made by Stanley Kubrick in 1951. However, it feels more to the point to link it to an acclaimed drama made in 1972 and centred on two boxers, their sporting careers and personal lives. That film was John Huston's Fat City which could well have been an influence given that Day of the Fight marks actor Jack Huston’s feature debut in the roles of director and screenwriter and he being a grandson of John Huston. But, whatever fed into the creation of Day of the Fight, the film itself is unusually interesting and possessed of a distinct style which is all its own.
The title itself seems to be a pointer to this being first and foremost a boxing drama, a genre at its peak towards the end of the 1940s with such films as Body and Soul (1947), The Set-Up (1949) and Champion (1949). In keeping with this being a film that echoes such titles, Day of the Fight is shot in black-and-white and tells what is now a period tale since we are in New York in 1989 where the fight in question is to take place in Madison Square Garden. It is a middleweight bout in which the current world champion Lemarcus Fletcher (Cameron Williamson) is being challenged by the film’s central character, Irish Mike Flannigan (Michael C Pitt). Flannigan had once been a champion himself but has now not fought for almost a decade thus making this match arranged by his long-term trainer, Stevie (Ron Perlman), an event of huge importance to him. During the day in question, he looks in on various relatives and friends and is constantly remembering the past and this is something that we share not through substantial flashback sequences but via memory images that are cut into the film’s portrait of this single day.
Inevitably the situation depicted is one that encourages us to identify with Mike and which throughout builds towards the climax represented by the boxing match, the outcome of which cannot be taken for granted. That Mike chooses to pawn his late mother’s valuable ring, an heirloom, and then to make a large bet that he will win the match does nothing to make it easier for the viewer to decide which way the fight will go. When the event begins with the TV cameras present it certainly justifies Day of the Fight being considered a genre piece about boxing. Nevertheless, the real truth of the matter is that there is more to the film than that and it is notable that the boxing scenes are virtually limited to the big event itself, a fact that might slightly disappoint audiences who expect the sport to be as central here as it is in the Rocky films.
What this piece really gives us is a study of a man who happens to be a boxer but who is still trying to find his way after a life of hard knocks, a key one being an incident over which he feels traumatised due to his sense of personal guilt. Back in 1963 Louis Malle made a remarkable film entitled Le feu follet about a man contemplating suicide whom we follow as he visits old acquaintances who might theoretically influence his decision. That comes very close to observing Mike’s reactions to those he seeks out, but with the considerable difference that Mike is not suicidal. Instead, we are coming to understand what happened to Mike, how it led to the breakdown of his marriage to Jessica (Nicolette Robinson) thus isolating him from his teenage daughter Sasha (Kit Elizabeth Williams) and also how his life has been shaped by his abusive father (Joe Pesci). Mike has already been observing Sasha from a distance and on this day he looks up Jessica and visits his father who is now unable to speak and is in care. In addition, he sees a supportive uncle (Steve Buscemi) and goes to talk to his best friend, Patrick (John Magaro), who has become a Catholic priest. These encounters show us a man who can be generous and who wants to be a good person but who is still struggling to put his traumas behind him. It’s the tale of a man seeking redemption and being nearer to it than he recognises.
The portrait of Mike which gradually emerges is even more central to the film than its boxing theme making it a work that is close to being two distinct dramas even if they do fuse into a single narrative. Admittedly the film is less than perfect, but it has many virtues including the crisp black-and-white photography of Peter Simonite and an accomplished cast (some such as Buscemi and Pesci - the latter also one of the executive producers - only have cameo roles but make their presence felt and Pitt and Robinson are good casting for the leading roles). As for Jack Huston, his writing is occasionally uneven (one example being the last-minute introduction of the character of a sympathetic taxi driver played by Joe Lisi which feels rather too set up) but his direction is such that he shows real flair for cinema. It's not without occasional misjudgments including adding a few touches of colour to the black-and-white images and going even further in the last scenes which include even more colour. In addition, a few of the memory shots become rather too self-conscious. Nevertheless, the feel for cinema and camera movement is striking as is his use of music ranging from Ben McDiarmid’s music score to soundtrack songs that are consciously chosen for their contribution to the mood as well as an onscreen song performed by Nicolette Robinson that provides a pause - albeit one filled with emotion - before we are led into the big fight (Jessica is seen here as a singer performing in a bar to her own piano accompaniment). However strong his career as an actor, Day of the Fight is evidence that Huston has substantial directorial talent. A number of actors turn director but don't follow up: in Jack Huston’s case I would be surprised if this were to be his only feature as writer/director.
MANSEL STIMPSON
Cast: Michael C. Pitt, Nicolette Robinson, Ron Perlman, John Magaro, Joe Pesci, Steve Buscemi, Anatol Yusef, Kat Elizabeth Williams, Milan Marsh, Eugene Solfanelli, Beckett Guest, Zoe Tactuk.
Dir Jack Huston, Pro Josh Porter, Jack Huston, Jai Stefan, Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Colleen Camp, Screenplay Jack Huston, Ph Peter Simonite, Pro Des Pete Zumba, Ed Joe Klotz, Music Ben McDiarmid, Costumes Christopher Peterson.
Day of the Fight Inc-Icon Film Distribution.
108 mins. USA. 2023. US Rel: 6 December 2024. UK Rel: 3 February 2025. Available on Icon Film Channel (and in cinemas from 7 March 2025). Cert. 15.
