Dir. Clement Virgo. Canada , 2007. 102 Mins.
Racial tension in an unusual setting and a quiet, authoritative voice pack a surprising punch in Poor Boy's Game, a new film from Afro-Canadian filmmaker Clement Virgo. Though framed around a grudge match in the boxing ring, the film has a considerably broader scope than the canvas and ropes. The intimate drama turns on an act of violence, its social-political echoes and issues of redemption and forgiveness.
The low-key nature of the filmmaking allows for the tale to build to an unexpected left hook knock out. Still, the modesty of production and lack of genuine marquee performers severely limit its commercial potential. It's a film that desperately needs critical endorsement just to stay in the game and in this instance that means niche, upscale theatrical prospects and cable exposure that might translate into small but sufficient ancillary revenues.
The story is set in 1997. Donnie Rose (Rossif Sutherland) has just been paroled from prison after serving nine years as a minor for a brutal beating that left a black youth physically and mentally handicapped. His release sets off old hostilities between Halifax 's long-standing black community and the Anglo working class that are Donnie's roots.
The dilemma for the young man is that prison has curiously socialized him and he's stuck between abandoning his clan and passively going through the motions of accepting the conditions of his station and the legal conditions of his release. He is nonetheless a lightning rod and top seeded local fighter Ossie Paris (Flex Alexander) gets the go ahead from his black church to challenge him to an exhibition match.
The set-up is rather over-familiar, but Virgo and co-writer Chaz Thorne adroitly use it as a device to delve deeper into character and environment. Though Donnie isn't absolved of the past crime, the degree of his culpability is put into question. The mixed race neighborhood is colour blind to poverty and the disease of suspicion, hate and violence it spawns.
Prison has put the intolerance in perspective for Donnie and just as he has no desire to be martyr to a cause, George Carvery (Danny Glover), the father of the victim, sees no good in settling matters in the ring. He grudgingly winds up training Donnie, telling himself that it's the only way to avert a blood bath.
Poor Boy's Game is an effective sleight of hand; bathed in melodrama that constantly threatens to topple into caricature but maintaining a slow, methodical development that refuses to opt for pat conclusions. It's a grueling experience that ultimately has an honest pay off thanks largely to a well articulated script and a universally strong cast including Rossif Sutherland (the son of actor Donald) in his first major screen role.
Director
Clement Virgo
Production Companies
Conquering Lion (Can)
Standing 8 Productions (Can)
International Sales
Seville (Montreal)
Screenwriter
Clement Virgo
Chaz Thorne
Producers
Damon D'Oliveira
Clement Virgo
Chaz Thorne
Cinematography
Luc Montpellier
Main cast
Rossif Sutherland
Danny Glover
Flex Alexander
Greg Bryk
Laura Regan
Tonya Lee Williams
Racial tension in an unusual setting and a quiet, authoritative voice pack a surprising punch in Poor Boy's Game, a new film from Afro-Canadian filmmaker Clement Virgo. Though framed around a grudge match in the boxing ring, the film has a considerably broader scope than the canvas and ropes. The intimate drama turns on an act of violence, its social-political echoes and issues of redemption and forgiveness.
The low-key nature of the filmmaking allows for the tale to build to an unexpected left hook knock out. Still, the modesty of production and lack of genuine marquee performers severely limit its commercial potential. It's a film that desperately needs critical endorsement just to stay in the game and in this instance that means niche, upscale theatrical prospects and cable exposure that might translate into small but sufficient ancillary revenues.
The story is set in 1997. Donnie Rose (Rossif Sutherland) has just been paroled from prison after serving nine years as a minor for a brutal beating that left a black youth physically and mentally handicapped. His release sets off old hostilities between Halifax 's long-standing black community and the Anglo working class that are Donnie's roots.
The dilemma for the young man is that prison has curiously socialized him and he's stuck between abandoning his clan and passively going through the motions of accepting the conditions of his station and the legal conditions of his release. He is nonetheless a lightning rod and top seeded local fighter Ossie Paris (Flex Alexander) gets the go ahead from his black church to challenge him to an exhibition match.
The set-up is rather over-familiar, but Virgo and co-writer Chaz Thorne adroitly use it as a device to delve deeper into character and environment. Though Donnie isn't absolved of the past crime, the degree of his culpability is put into question. The mixed race neighborhood is colour blind to poverty and the disease of suspicion, hate and violence it spawns.
Prison has put the intolerance in perspective for Donnie and just as he has no desire to be martyr to a cause, George Carvery (Danny Glover), the father of the victim, sees no good in settling matters in the ring. He grudgingly winds up training Donnie, telling himself that it's the only way to avert a blood bath.
Poor Boy's Game is an effective sleight of hand; bathed in melodrama that constantly threatens to topple into caricature but maintaining a slow, methodical development that refuses to opt for pat conclusions. It's a grueling experience that ultimately has an honest pay off thanks largely to a well articulated script and a universally strong cast including Rossif Sutherland (the son of actor Donald) in his first major screen role.
Director
Clement Virgo
Production Companies
Conquering Lion (Can)
Standing 8 Productions (Can)
International Sales
Seville (Montreal)
Screenwriter
Clement Virgo
Chaz Thorne
Producers
Damon D'Oliveira
Clement Virgo
Chaz Thorne
Cinematography
Luc Montpellier
Main cast
Rossif Sutherland
Danny Glover
Flex Alexander
Greg Bryk
Laura Regan
Tonya Lee Williams
No comments yet