Breaking conventional rules, Shadowboxer is dark, sexy, and very violent. On many levels the movie is uncomfortable to watch. All of the characters are flawed and the brazen sexuality and raw emotional performances, by a superb cast, is hard to watch at times. This is no popcorn movie but a thesis on age, sex, family, and violence. The direction was a little heavy handed, and in some scenes, it overshadowed the actors. Expect to see more in the future from Mo'nique in her break out role; and Macy Gray, as usual, was entertaining to watch. Cuba Gooding Jr, looking not much older than he was in the "Show me the money" days in his Oscar winning performance in Jerry Maguire, is superb. In fact, I think that his is an important role in the history of film. A black man as an object of sexual desire by an older white woman certainly breaks the norms. Their intimate relationship will test your own beliefs on age and race. But by the time you figure out where you stand, another scene will give you reason to pause and think. And I guess that's what I like most about the film--being forced to confront issues I rarely think about and being entertained at the same time.
Review of Shadowboxer
