Knockout

source: Knockout

This movie was just outstanding from beginning to end because it had an uplifting message and the script was superbly written with no profanity along with very little violence.The actors all did a great job in their roles and the cinematography was superb.

Imagine living in a world where every movie plot is fashioned from the Karate Kid. In this movie it is boxing instead of karate. I must give kudos to the casting director for being able to find people whose acting ability were on par with Mr. Austin. At times the acting and script was so hokey I found myself laughing at the serious moments of the movie, such as when boy Matthew first tells his mom and step-dad he wants to box. The lines and acting were so bad, I thought this might be a comedy. This might be a good movie for tweens, but beyond that it's a bust. One bright spot was Emma Grabassky, the young girl who played Matthew's gf. I can't figure out how she slipped through the bad actors only screen. What I really want to know is how does one get funding for this type of tripe? You go the studio and say, "I have written a screen play stolen from the Karate Kid. I have substituted the word "boxing" for "karate." I got Steve Austin to play Mr. Miyagi and he promises never to smile and to only speak in truisms. We are going to find worse actors than Austin, so as not to upstage him. We won't have a decent soundtrack either and the director is blind." I think a movie about trying to sell this film would have been more entertaining.

Knockout is a charming effective film. The story is a shaggy dog cliché. A young boy the new kid in town. He idolizes his grandfather a former boxer. He runs into the school bully. friendless he has no one to turn to except the school janitor played wonderfully by Steve Austin. The boy tries out for the school boxing team. Only to find the bully is the school Champion. the boy loses faith in himself. The janitor Dan Barnes takes pity on him.Dan a former contender for the heavyweight Championship.. Barnes lived life in the fast lane and burnt himself out. Barnes got hurt and ended his career. Barnes takes the boy under his wing and trains him. The bully continues to torture him until a boxing match is set up to determine who will get the final spot on the boxing team. The film is filled with teen angst, young love and issues with the parents. Knockout finds it's voice in the relationship between the boy and Barnes. and later on There is that magical first love with another outsider. A young girl named Ruby. The film could be called sweet and tender. It could also be called a slice of life.Showing us how outsiders are made. How people who feel differently are sometimes punished for being different. The films driving message is simple. You must have faith in yourself. No one can fight your battles but you. You must choose a course of action and do it. Pretty effective message for a pretty effective movie that tries to disguise itself as a Boxing tale. Very Well done.