Although this is something unexpected to say about a boxing movie, this is a very delicate one, hard to be labeled in a genre, but something between a drama and a dramatic comedy. An ageing boxer, with embarassingly little money and a family he loves (and that loves him),needs to keep fighting. However, he is what is called a "journeyman", with a far from promising record (much more losses than victories). As a sparring of a champ things will become better, or it is just a desperate move?

And I found it adorable. I really enjoyed the main guy, he really played the bum to the hilt and the sweet dad like a total champ! And everyone else was on point. The writing was nuanced, and it really hit home , what it's like to be a dad and to really love your children and not want to them to go down the same bum hard road , just a really sweet tale, highly recommend it! My two favorite parts were dialogue sequences I found to be very very well written, one when the child explains to the dad why he doesn't want to go to the fight and the other was the coach expressing his feelings on before the final round!

This film is for me a a sort of French FAT CITY. Remember the John Huston's movie from 1972, about losers in the fighting game and starring Stacy Keach. And a particular short scene in the beginning of both features can make you think about the link between the two movies; the sequence where the main lead urinate blood in the toilet. Yes that's a movie dedicated to those hundreds of shadow prize fighters who have sometimes dozens of defeats and nearly none victory in their honour list. A movie, this French one, so poignant, moving, cruel, painful. But certainly not totally hopeless. The tale of a tenth grade fighter who struggles to survive with his family and who accepts to serve as a sparring Partner. Terrific.