Weekend films

'The day of the fight', a film from another era between boxing and the desire for redemption

Among the new releases is a title in which boxing plays a major role: Michael Pitt is a boxer seeking redemption in Jack Huston's directorial debut

13 December 2024

2' min read

The ring is a metaphor for life: it is a phrase one often hears when films about boxing, arguably the sport most featured in the best sports genre titles in film history, are shown on screen.

No exception is 'The Day of the Meeting', the behind-the-camera debut of Jack Huston, British director and actor, best known for his role as Richard Harrow in the series 'Boardwalk Empire'.

Among the most interesting theatrical offerings of the weekend, the film stars Mikey, a boxer released from prison after a long period of incarceration. Before prison, he was a very successful sportsman, won many fights, and in honour of those glorious times he decides to return to the ring. After reuniting with the people who were important in his life, he faces his first fight as a free man.

There is, of course, this highly anticipated match at the centre of a feature film about second chances, the desire for redemption and the possibility of redemption. The fight, thus, soon turns into a real cathartic event for the protagonist, to try to understand more about himself, his past and his present.

The narrative development has predictable moments, but Huston does not look like a beginner and stages this film with good maturity, relying on elegant black and white and interesting editing choices.

“Il giorno dell’incontro” e gli altri film della settimana
Photogallery4 foto

References to the past

It is undoubtedly a film from another era, 'The Day of the Fight', a work that recalls American cinema of the 1950s and in particular the classic 'Somebody Loves Me Up There', one of the masterpieces of boxing cinema, in which Paul Newman played Rocky Graziano.

The title, moreover, is the same as that of a 1951 short film by Stanley Kubrick, a documentary also dedicated to boxing and explicitly paid homage to by Huston, but there are also echoes of Martin Scorsese's 'Raging Bull', an extraordinary 1980 film that in itself paid homage to the aforementioned film period.

On the one hand, these connections are fascinating and make for extremely layered viewing, but on the other hand, the film suffers from some genre stereotypes, especially as the conclusion approaches.

In any case, it remains a must-see film, profound and well played by Michael Pitt in one of the most significant roles of his entire career.

Just for One Night

Another debut worth watching is 'Only for One Night' by Maxime Rappaz.

At the centre of the plot is a middle-aged woman who has devoted her entire life to looking after her son, thus sacrificing herself and all her dreams. The protagonist only allows herself some freedom for one night, once a week, spending time in a mountain hotel to socialise with passing men. In this story of a woman with a double life, there are several cues and touching moments. 'Only for One Night' is a small surprise, capable of shaking you up and showcasing the remarkable talent of actress Jeanne Balibar.

Again, originality is lacking, due to too many references to films already seen, but overall it is an intense piece of work that offers a good proposition for those looking for an intelligent product to watch at the weekend and in the coming weeks.