Rotten
The mixture may be slightly unexpected, but it still manages to be predictable all the way.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Overview
Tommy Riley has moved with his dad to Chicago from a 'nice place'. He keeps to himself, goes to school. However, after a street fight he is noticed and quickly falls into the world of illegal underground boxing - where punches can kill.
Director and cast
- Rowdy Herrington Director
- James Marshall as Tommy Riley
- T.E. Russell as Spits (Leroy)
- Cuba Gooding Jr. as Abraham Lincoln Haines
- Robert Loggia as Pappy Jack
- Brian Dennehy as Jimmy Horn
- Ossie Davis as Noah
- Cara Buono as Dawn
- Richard Lexsee as Father in Park
- John Heard as John Riley
- Jon Seda as Romano
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
31%
Tomatometer
Fresh
The idea of the Dennehy's illegal boxing arena is a storytelling masterstroke; it explains the small crowds at the same time it permits the boxers to fight dirty.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Rotten
Let's make things perfectly clear. Gladiator is utter trash masquerading as an action picture with a message.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Rotten
The screenplay, contrived to suit the genre, is likewise replete with stock characters.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Fresh
Marshall makes a promising feature debut; and Herrington, pushing beyond the expected triumph-of-the-underdog cliches, underpins the crowd-pleasing Rocky-style fight action with some unobtrusive social comment and confident visual storytelling.
Time Out
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