Bruised Movie Review

Released: 17th November 2021 (Netflix)

Length: 138 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Director: Halle Berry

Starring: Halle Berry, Sheila Atim, Danny Boy Jr., Adan Canto, Shamier Anderson and Stephen McKinley Henderson

Since the release of Rocky in the 1970s, sport films have maintained a strong fanfare among the masses. Halle Berry has proven herself as a highly physical actress in recent years and now she’s making a directorial debut with Bruised. For the most part, this story of a challenger who rises up and overcomes is very well produced.

MMA fighter Jacqui Justice (Berry) is in a rough spot. After throwing a fight and withdrawing from the ring in disgrace, she fell into the gutter, turning to alcohol and abusive relationships to cope with her damaged past. When her abandoned son Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.) comes back into her life, Jacqui is shouldered with a hefty responsibility, one that presses her to rectify her own life. Bruised does show similarities to its contemporaries, most notably Southpaw and the more recent Creed films, yet it also takes steps to form its own identity. By starting the protagonist off at a much lower level, the struggle to climb back out feels more immediate and difficult. In addition, the relationship that develops between Jacqui and her trainer Bobbie (Sheila Atim) is both passionate and heartfelt. With that said, I felt that one sequence involving sexual abuse was glossed over too quickly, a dark subject that doesn’t feature fully in the story. The moment is confined to a heated conversation between Jacqui and her mother then rarely mentioned again. Even with these gaps, Bruised takes on a traditional pacing with training sequences and character confrontations leading up to the ultimate encounter.

The latter is conveyed well by the cast. Halle Berry is great all the way through; she throws herself into the fight scenes while also maintaining a fragile, damaged persona. Jacqui’s personal struggle is undoubtedly the heart of the film and it generates a gripping story. The bond between her and Manny is mostly a slow-burn; as the protagonist learns how to be a responsible mother, the boy slowly opens up to others. At points I thought Danny Boyd Jr. could have fleshed out his character more if he was able to speak but as it stands, the young actor does well enough in the portrayal, acting mainly with his eyes and body language. Sheila Atim is equally important to the story; at first Bobbi is straightforward and forceful, delivering a lot of tough love to get Jacqui back in shape; but as the film goes on, an emotional side creeps in. In the opposite corner, Adan Canto is repulsive as Jacqui’s boyfriend Desi; he represents much of the turmoil in her life and takes on a very intimidating attitude. By keeping the character set small and compact, Bruised is committed to earning empathy from its audience.

It also distinguishes itself in presentation. The film starts off with a grotty aesthetic, mirroring the protagonist’s wasteful and hopeless existence; locations like an underground fight club and the unkempt nature of Jacqui’s home emphasise this. When her training starts, things shift to a more neutral style and finally the more extravagant landscape of the UFC arena matches the character’s progression. There’s a heavy use of point-of-view shots; with Jacqui’s vision often blurred as she struggles with her problems both in and out of the ring. Combined with some brilliant make-up work, it really gets across the inner turmoil of our leading woman. When the combat does heat up, strong choreography and physicality from the actors makes us feel every blow and the final fight maintains a visceral edge. For a more modern sounding score, the music is pulse-pounding and energised; it’s a good fit for the character’s more ragged roots.

With a powerful performance and capable directing from Halle Berry, Bruised is a raw and often harrowing ride. Jacqui’s journey from rock bottom back to the top is filled to burst with intense emotions and violent arguments that get the audience invested; on occasion it doesn’t integrate these elements fully but otherwise you’ll be rooting for her in this underdog tale.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)