THE DAY OF THE FIGHT – Review by April Neale
Writer/director Jack Huston’s new film Day of the Fight follows a unique path in a familiar story. Boxer “Irish” Mikey Flannigan (Michael C. Pitt) was a one-time world champion. He’s been in prison for years, and his career has dashed to the rocks. However, on the day the film takes place, Mikey will fight professionally after a decade of self-reflection and regret. At Madison Square Garden and from home, his family and neighborhood pals who know his heart are in his corner.
Boxing films usually contain compromised characters and follow a redemptive and introspective arc. The familiar against-all-odds underdog story is bolstered by a family torn apart by something, only to coalesce at the end when the big fight ends.
But with Day of the Fight, Huston has crafted a deeply emotional twist on that predictability, aided by a brilliant cast led by Pitt as Irish Mike. In this emotional directorial debut, we get the added layer of Irish’s survivor’s guilt and an unexpected exit plan to salvage what security he can offer his estranged wife and daughter. This stylized film not only has us rooting for Irish Mike but is also immersed in the aftermath of his years incarcerated due to his carelessness with alcohol and driving.
There are no go-backs in drunk driving fatalities, a selfish act that destroys the lives of all around the victims. Carrying that and genuinely feeling sorry for these actions is not an easy life. Irish Mike wears this responsibility of atonement, and you cannot help but feel for him despite his crime. This former championship fighter was riding high, but demons sunk him and burdened his soul. On this day of the fight, he has been given one last shot to make things right for himself, his family, and hopefully for the lives he forever changed.
The tableau begins in a colorless, worn-down Brooklyn apartment, and Pitt’s “Irish” attempts to write to his daughter. We see one of several flashbacks of a doctor essentially telling Irish he can no longer box due to the accident and a discovered aneurysm. This brain injury we are privy to early in the film is what comes around as the story progresses.
Every boxer needs a mentor and coach, and Steve’s Gym is run by Steve (Ron Perlman), whose deep, earthy presence is the perfect foil for Pitt’s Irish, in need of a paternal influence as his father is wasting away in a nursing home. Perlman is a gift in this role; he is all heart, and his natural vitality seeps into Steve, who has been training and helping the Irish regain fighting form. Joe Pesci, an executive producer of this film, will break your heart as he delivers a performance as Irish Mike’s dad, unable to communicate due to a stroke. His emotional scene shows how actors use their bodies and facial expressions to convey powerful results. We meet Jessica (Nicolette Robinson), who cannot resist the pull to reconnect with Irish despite her initial blocks. As Pitt moves through his day, he stops to see his uncle, played by Steve Buscemi, who has been holding Irish’s inheritance (an engagement ring) and tries to help him look past his past. Another standout performance is the local dry cleaner/bookie (Anatol Yusef), where the cash from the ring sale becomes the huge bet Irish places on himself at 40-1 odds. Irish’s interactions as he makes his way in his borough show that despite what he did, there is still deep love in the community from where he came up. They love him. The film adds yet another excellent character in Irish’s childhood pal Patrick (John Magaro), now a priest.
These castings elevate the film and create an ensemble of rich connections and histories. We need to feel this unraveling sad story has hope and a prayer that Irish prevails as he gifts strangers with huge cash tips and even the jacket off his back. We want him to regain his family, his pride, and his purpose. Huston knows this and artfully sets us up for a knockout white knuckler round twelve finish.
With stark and poignant imagery serving these themes of atonement and redemption, Huston has delivered a bittersweet cautionary tale. It shows how complex human transgressions are processed and how we can be seen as our true selves, not just the sum of our mistakes.
