The Boxer (1997)

Young Danny Flynn is released from prison 14 years after "taking the rap" for the IRA and tries to rebuild his life in his old Belfast neighborhood.

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers:

Jim Sheridan, Terry George

Stars:

Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily Watson, Daragh Donnelly

3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Danny Flynn
Daragh Donnelly	...	Prison Officer
Frank Coughlan	...	Prison Officer
Sean Kearns	...	Prison Officer
Lorraine Pilkington	...	Bride
Niall Shanahan	...	Groom
John Wall	...	Priest (as Father John Wall)
Maria McDermottroe	...	Betty
Carol Moore	...	Wedding Guest (as Carol Scanlan)
Kate Perry	...	Wedding Guest
Andrea Irvine	...	Wedding Guest
Joan McGarry	...	Wedding Guest
Theresa McComb	...	Wedding Guest
Catherine Dunne	...	Wedding Guest
Kerrie Duggan	...	Wedding Guest

Storyline

Nineteen-year-old Danny Flynn is imprisoned for his involvement with the I.R.A. in Belfast. He leaves behind his family and his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, Maggie Hamill. Fourteen years later, Danny is released from prison and returns to his old working class neighborhood to resume his life as a boxer, fighting and opening a boxing club training aspiring boxers. Maggie has since married Danny's best friend, who is also imprisoned for his I.R.A. activities. Although he has not denounced the I.R.A. or denigrated his I.R.A. colleagues, Danny has decided to live a life free of political violence. His boxing club is nonsectarian, open to both Catholics and Protestants. This move irks some of his old I.R.A. colleagues since they feel working with the Protestants will not resolve their David versus Goliath struggle. Danny's old I.R.A. colleagues, especially their unofficial leader Harry, resort to traditional tactics of violence to stop Danny. Maggie's father, Joe, also an I.R.A. activist, ...

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Plot Keywords:

boxer | boxing | belfast northern ireland | release from prison | boxing match | 

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Taglines:

Love is always worth fighting for.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Daniel Day-Lewis boxed and trained for three years in preparation for this role.

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Goofs

The cut above Danny's left eye disappears in some scenes.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Policeman at Checkpoint: Where are you going?
Maggie: We're going home.

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Connections

Referenced in Tau's random film reviews: The Boxer (1997)

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Soundtracks

EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT
Written by Gavin Friday & Maurice Seezer
Performed by Gavin Friday

User Reviews

The Irish "Rocky"?

Daniel Day-Lewis plays a former IRA man released from prison for a bombing that took place years ago. While out and about, he tries to put his life back together by opening up a gym open to everyone regardless of their religious beliefs and rekindles an old romance with Emily Watson, even though she's got a kid and her husband, one of Day-Lewis's former fellow IRA mates, is still in jail. Naturally, the IRA starts making life rough for Day-Lewis, but he refuses to back down and be intimidated in the face of adversity.

Sure it may not dig as deeply on uncomfortable subjects the way "My Left Foot", "In The Name of the Father" or even "The Last of the Mohicans", but this is still a damn fine film addressing a still current problem in Ireland.

Daniel Day-Lewis and Emily Watson are a great pair and their chemistry helps keep the film aloft.

Details

Official Sites:

Universal

Country:

USA Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Boxer

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$86,097, 4 January 1998

Gross USA:

$5,980,578

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,534,578

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Hell's Kitchen Films, Hell's Kitchen Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS DTS-Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1