Day of the Fight: Michael Pitt is terrific in this indie gem

Last Updated on December 9, 2024

PLOT: A washed-up boxer (Michael Pitt) prepares for the biggest match of his career – his first in ten years – while trying to patch up the various frayed relationships in his life.

REVIEW: Day of the Fight marks actor Michael Pitt’s (billed here as Michael C. Pitt) first leading role in many years. A former heartthrob best known for The Dreamers, the American remake of Funny Games, and his role on Boardwalk Empire, he recently turned up in the underrated Benicio del Toro film Reptile but otherwise has been out of the spotlight for years. If you google his name, you can see that he had to deal with some personal issues we’re not going to dredge up here, but suffice it to say that Day of the Fight offers him a strong star vehicle that could help him make a comeback if the right people see it.

The movie is written and directed by Pitt’s former Boardwalk Empire co-star, Jack Huston, who makes his filmmaking debut. Sharing a title with the famous Stanley Kubrick short film, Day of the Fight is an elegiac, bittersweet story of a good-natured pugilist trying to set right a few of the mistakes he’s made in his life before jumping into the ring for one last-ditch shot at glory.

Pitt’s Mike Flannigan is a good-natured fighter who’s just gotten out of jail after a drunk driving accident that resulted in the death of a young boy. The former middleweight champion of the world, he now lives in a dodgy apartment with only a pet cat to keep him company while he pines for his ex-wife (Nicolette Robinson’s Jessica) and daughter. He’s been giving a last-ditch shot on an undercard match at Madison Square Garden due to some strings being pulled by his faithful trainer (a perfectly cast Ron Perlman). Unbeknownst to all, Flannigan is suffering from a brain aneurism in a tricky area that could rupture if he takes a hard blow to the head.

While the premise sounds predictable, with Day of the Fight having heavy shades of The Wrestler, Huston’s execution is quite good for a directorial debut (it’s reminiscent of a movie directed by his grandfather – Fat City). Utilizing high contrast black and white cinematography by Peter Simonite, and a terrific cast of character actors, he’s mounted one heck of a starring vehicle for Pitt. Often dismissed as a pretty boy back in the day, Pitt looks more world-weary and slightly older than his forty-two years, making him an ideal choice to play the former boxer. Adopting a gentle, sweet nature, Flannigan is easy guy to like, such as when he intervenes at his boxing gym when a bullying boxer humiliates a beaten opponent, or when he gives his coat to a young girl he meets in the street.

Many of Pitt’s former Boardwalk Empire co-stars show up, including Steve Buscemi in a small role as Mike’s uncle, and Anatol Yusef as a bookie. Best of all is Joe Pesci in a strong role as Mike’s father, a former wannabe singing star who beat his son but is now suffering the ravages of a stroke. In an interesting twist, Huston actually uses real music Pesci recorded in the seventies for his character.

While the mournful tone of the film and the black-and-white shooting might limit Day of the Fight’s audience to the arthouse, it’s a thoroughly engaging movie that deserves more of a build-up. The fact that it never played Sundance or TIFF is a head-scratcher, as it’s better than a lot of movies I’ve seen at both festivals in recent years – but I digress. At any rate, Day of the Fight is well worth checking out and a welcome return to form for Pitt. 

Day of the Fight

GREAT

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