“Diamond” Derek Douglas (Jordan Bolger) is on the verge of boxing stardom. But when circumstances go against him, and his training partner Cain (Osy Ikhile) defects to the other corner, Derek’s world collapses.
Who doesn’t love a good boxing movie? The underdog story, the Rocky IV-style training montage, the showboating weigh-ins, and that epic final fight where a new champion is crowned are familiar staples of a well-trodden genre. Challenging that formula is director Christopher M. Anthony, who enters the ring with his feature-length debut film Heavyweight.
The film’s focus on the psychology of a boxer is refreshing, felt from the film’s opening. As soon as “Diamond” Derek Douglas (Jordan Bolger), his coach Adam (Nicholas Pinnock), and his team arrive at the arena, the director immerses the audience in the backstage chaos of the setting. We witness photographers and assorted press, an endless hustle for interviews, social media influencers, the promoter checking in on their prized assets (a scene-stealing, Frank Warren-esque performance by Jason Isaacs) — all serving as powerful distractions to Derek’s focus.
Fighting rivalries and bravado aside, it is the relationship between Derek and Adam that runs deep throughout.
Set entirely in the locker room before a big bout, the film deftly overrides any single-location sense of feeling ‘stagey’, telling a story that leans into its environment, a pressure cooker of emotions. It’s a rare, behind-the-scenes insight of what you don’t see on TV before a fighter enters the ring. But as the clock ticks down to the main event and obstacles are pile up — including waiting for his brother to arrive for the match — the tension only mounts.
Fighting rivalries and bravado aside, it is the relationship between Derek and Adam that runs deep throughout. So much of Heavyweight’s success comes from its patience in unpacking their complex history. And much of the dramatic weight is felt without words, through body language rather than familiar sports-movie tropes.
The care and attention to detail from this talented young cast makes for a captivating watch. Bolger is a revelation here, vulnerable and descending towards an emotional breakdown before rising again to conquer his fears; Ikhile finds empathy for Cain behind his betrayal; while Pinnock’s calm-in-the-storm energy makes for a commanding presence. This is a film about having somebody in your corner — and that’s just as important as the fight itself.
A boxing drama that goes the distance, Heavyweight packs in plenty of heart — with outstanding performances from Bolger, Pinnock, and Ikhile.
