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- The verdict: Bruised is a well-crafted film; not many first-time directors can make a film as well put together like this. Berry’s commitment to maintaining femininity throughout the film is also an important aspect.
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Nov 17, 2021 · 132 minutes R 2021. Halle Berry’s Bruised is a familiar comeback tale relying on the inner-city motifs of 1990s hood films to deliver a melodramatic, barely coherent prestige vehicle with very little to say about MMA itself.
Nov 25, 2021 · Bruised is an exceptionally well-done film, with Berry proving that after decades worth of acting under her belt, she is ready for a new chapter in her life as a director. Next: Halle Berry Interview: Bruised. Bruised is available to stream on Netflix as of Wednesday, November 24.
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Down on her luck and simmering with rage and regret years after her fight, she's coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager and boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto) and grabs the attention of a...
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Nov 14, 2021 · Oscar winner Halle Berry's directorial debut, 'Bruised,' focuses on a disgraced MMA fighter's return to the ring while she tries to repair her family relationships.
- Octagon Baby Gone.
- Bruised Gallery
- Halle Berry's best role was in...
- Verdict
By Matt Fowler
Updated: Nov 24, 2021 10:48 pm
Posted: Nov 24, 2021 5:49 pm
Bruised premieres on Wednesday, Nov. 24 on Netflix.
Oscar winner Halle Berry makes her feature film directorial debut with Bruised, a decently spun redemption tale about an MMA fighter's journey back to the Octagon years after suffering a brutal loss in a wickedly one-sided fight. Bruised doesn't exactly steer clear of genre clichés or sappy sports story elements, but Berry's directing, and performance as the lead, helps it hit a little bit harder.
Training montages, demons to overcome, a young kid worth fighting for -- Bruised spares no expense in the tropes department when it comes to the underdog story of one Jackie Justice, a hardscrabble former UFC grappler whose life is left a mess after her boyfriend/manager ruins her 10-and-0 record by putting her in a fight she's not prepared for. Years later, Jackie's an alcoholic mess and working as a housekeeper, still under the thumb of her sh***y boyfriend.
Perhaps a more traditional way this story could have gone would be for Berry to play someone who mentors and trains a new fighter, but Bruised wonderfully takes Berry's Jackie, an aging warrior who some might say blew her shot, and pushes her as a marvel who still has toxicity to expel from her life and, in doing so, has a worthy story to tell.
One of the more surprising parts of Bruised -- which is even more pleasing when one considers how these moments usually play out in movies that build up to a final battle -- is Jackie's third-act return to the cage and her big showdown with dominant lightweight champion Lady Killer (played by MMA fighter Valentina Shevchenko). The film slowly loads itself up with new people in Jackie's life who you might expect to see cheer her on, or be there for her as motivation during a crisis of faith, but she goes it alone. And it's here that Bruised's message sticks its landing the best. This is Jackie's crucible. Win or lose, she'll be in that ring by herself.
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The arrival of Jackie's 6-year-old son, Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.), and a spark of interest from a local promoter, simultaneously forces, and compels, Jackie to set her life straight. Dispelling the darkness that presently pummels her while also confronting her painful past, Berry's Jackie is a gritty survivor whose obstacles, at times, feel insurmountable. There was definitely more to mine here with Manny, since the child re-enters Jackie's life as a character who doesn't speak, leaving him feeling like a bit of a blank slate/plot device at times, but Berry knows how to play off it, often having Jackie see Manny as a reflection of her own traumas.
Bruised is a solid start for Halle Berry's new directing prospects, landing as a traditionally "fine" movie full of standard drama beats (though light on surprises). Berry and co-star Sheila Atim are great, as is young Danny Boyd Jr. -- though his character's inability to speak feels like a cop-out, or, at least, a shortcut around some necessary co...
Nov 14, 2021 · Nov 14, 2021 4:38am PT. ‘Bruised’ Review: Halle Berry Pummels Her Way Through a Mountain of Clichés. 'Million Dollar Baby' it ain't, but if the Oscar winner wants to prove that Hollywood’s been...
Parents need to know that Bruised is a sports drama that stars Halle Berry (who also directs) as a mixed martial arts fighter who's trying to make a comeback while dealing with personal troubles. Despite some familiar elements, it's vivid and powerful, with strong performances.
