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Redbelt

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
21K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Chiwetel Ejiofor in Redbelt (2008)
This is the second theatrical trailer for Redbelt, directed by David Mamet.
Play trailer2:07
1 Video
44 Photos
  • Drama
  • Sport

A fateful event leads to a job in the film business for top mixed-martial arts instructor Mike Terry. Though he refuses to participate in prize bouts, circumstances conspire to force him to ... Read allA fateful event leads to a job in the film business for top mixed-martial arts instructor Mike Terry. Though he refuses to participate in prize bouts, circumstances conspire to force him to consider entering such a competition.A fateful event leads to a job in the film business for top mixed-martial arts instructor Mike Terry. Though he refuses to participate in prize bouts, circumstances conspire to force him to consider entering such a competition.

IMDb RATING
6.7/10
21K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • David Mamet
  • Writer
    • David Mamet
  • Stars
    • Chiwetel Ejiofor
    • Tim Allen
    • Emily Mortimer
Top credits
  • Director
    • David Mamet
  • Writer
    • David Mamet
  • Stars
    • Chiwetel Ejiofor
    • Tim Allen
    • Emily Mortimer
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 127User reviews
    • 144Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Redbelt: Theatrical trailer #2
    Trailer 2:07
    Redbelt: Theatrical trailer #2

    Photos44

    David Mamet and Chiwetel Ejiofor in Redbelt (2008)
    David Mamet and John Machado in Redbelt (2008)
    Ricky Jay and John Machado in Redbelt (2008)
    Joe Mantegna, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rodrigo Santoro in Redbelt (2008)
    Tim Allen, Alice Braga, and Rebecca Pidgeon in Redbelt (2008)
    Jennifer Grey, Alice Braga, and Rebecca Pidgeon in Redbelt (2008)
    Cyril Takayama in Redbelt (2008)
    Alice Braga in Redbelt (2008)
    Tim Allen and Jake Johnson in Redbelt (2008)
    Rodrigo Santoro in Redbelt (2008)
    Tim Allen and Chiwetel Ejiofor in Redbelt (2008)
    Max Martini, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Jose Pablo Cantillo in Redbelt (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Chiwetel Ejiofor
    Chiwetel Ejiofor
    • Mike Terryas Mike Terry
    Tim Allen
    Tim Allen
    • Chet Frankas Chet Frank
    Emily Mortimer
    Emily Mortimer
    • Laura Blackas Laura Black
    Max Martini
    Max Martini
    • Joe Collinsas Joe Collins
    Matt Cable
    • Academy Fighteras Academy Fighter
    Alice Braga
    Alice Braga
    • Sondra Terryas Sondra Terry
    Jose Pablo Cantillo
    Jose Pablo Cantillo
    • Snowflakeas Snowflake
    Cathy Cahlin Ryan
    Cathy Cahlin Ryan
    • Gini Collinsas Gini Collins
    Luciana Souza
    • Singer in Baras Singer in Bar
    Cyril Takayama
    Cyril Takayama
    • The Magicianas The Magician
    • (as Cyril Takata)
    Scott Barry
    Scott Barry
    • Billy the Bartenderas Billy the Bartender
    Ricky Jay
    Ricky Jay
    • Marty Brownas Marty Brown
    Randy Couture
    Randy Couture
    • Dylan Flynnas Dylan Flynn
    John Machado
    John Machado
    • Ricardo Silvaas Ricardo Silva
    Rodrigo Santoro
    Rodrigo Santoro
    • Bruno Silvaas Bruno Silva
    Ricardo Wilke
    • Eduardoas Eduardo
    Caroline de Souza Correa
    Caroline de Souza Correa
    • Monicaas Monica
    Jack Wallace
    Jack Wallace
    • Bar Patronas Bar Patron
    • Director
      • David Mamet
    • Writer
      • David Mamet
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Is there room for principle in Los Angeles? Mike Terry teaches jujitsu and barely makes ends meet. His Brazilian wife, whose family promotes fights, wants to see Mike in the ring making money, but to him competition is degrading. A woman sideswipes Mike's car and then, after an odd sequence of events, shoots out the studio's window. Later that evening, Mike rescues an action movie star in a fistfight at a bar. In return, the actor befriends Mike, gives him a gift, offers him work on his newest film, and introduces Mike's wife to his own - the women initiate business dealings. Then, things go sour all at once, Mike's debts mount, and going into the ring may be his only option. —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
    • deception
    • mma
    • mma fighter
    • action movie star
    • jujutsu
    • 138 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • There's always a way out. You just have to find it.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Sport
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In an interview on National Public Radio's "Fresh Air," Chiwetel Ejiofor said that he thought he'd challenge David Mamet to a friendly sparring match (keeping in mind Mamet had been a practitioner of jiu-jitsu for some years compared to Ejiofor's training for a few months). They squared off, and Mamet stepped on Ejiofor's foot with all his weight. Ejiofor couldn't free his foot and was vulnerable to attack. Mamet said words to the effect that "This match is over."
    • Goofs
      In the program opened by Emily Mortimer's character in the tournament, a freeze frame reveals that the bios for the fighters are simply a continuous block of text referring to a fighter named "David," and the text is repeated on the left and right sides of the program.
    • Quotes

      [repeated line]

      Mike Terry: There's always an escape.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Made of Honor/Son of Rambow/Then She Found Me/Iron Man/Redbelt/Standard Operating Procedure (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Voce Nao Me Ve
      Written by Rebecca Pidgeon and David Mamet

      Portuguese translation by Luciana Souza

      Published by Dwight Street Music (BMI), Bella Panorama Music (BMI) and Songs of Windswept Pacific (BMI)

      All rights on behalf of Dwight Street Music, Bella Panorama Music administered by Songs of Windswept Pacific

      Performed by Luciana Souza

    User reviews127

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    There's always an escape…Redbelt
    David Mamet is back with his new film Redbelt. After four years away from Hollywood, producing the television show "The Unit," Mamet has followed up his solid thriller Spartan with a drama of intelligence that only he can capture. Complete with the trademark, metered language—every word timed and delivered with precision—this tale may be billed as a mixed martial arts actioner, but it is so much more. The sport itself lends heavily to the plot for sure, but rather than with its moves and choreography, it is the underlying sense of honor that becomes the central focus. Beginning as a straight-forward drama of faith and morality, culminating into what appears to be this Jiu-Jitsu instructor's big chance at success and wealth to keep his fledgling gym in business, Mamet's story soon gets the rug pulled out from under it, fast and hard. I will admit to not having expected the sharp turn of events halfway through as everything Mike Terry has built his life upon ends up leading to his demise, eventually finding him on the edge of throwing all he believes in away forever. A film of respect and sacrifice, greed and deceit, Redbelt goes places you will not be ready for, yet it is handled deftly, causing all the machinations to fall into place and show their true worth in the progression of the story. It all happens for a reason; life sometimes deals you pain and leaves you in a choke hold about to lose air, but as Terry tells his students, there is always an escape.

    I don't want to ruin anything with this film, because truthfully it caught me off-guard. Maybe the turn was hinted in the trailer, I don't remember, but it is better to go in following the plot threads and watching it all unravel. With that said, I do have a problem with the ending. Not so much the tone and end result, but in the way it all transpires. I believe it is a perfect conclusion if not played out too easily without explaining the motivations behind two Jiu-Jitsu champions and their actions. To do what they do, it would almost mean they knew what was going on with the tournament, that they knew what Terry was about to tell the world before he spoke…I just don't see how that can be true. Maybe Mamet just wanted to stick to a minimalist approach and allow it all to occur in sequence, and it is a powerful progression, it's just filled with that one problem which could have possibly been rectified, but maybe it was and I missed it. I don't want to accuse the filmmaker of a plot-hole if he actually did cover it up, I just can't remember it happening. It's the one blight on an otherwise stellar film.

    The script is a huge part of the success and really that is where Mamet either flourishes or fails. At times he can be too cute or too overwrought, but at other instances he can be at the top of the industry. I generally find his smaller works, based off his own plays, as his best work, but this one is definitely on par. The ability to take us on this journey with two halves of good times and the fall from them is a feat that usually fails due to contrivances and blatant tells. Maybe I was tired or just too caught up in the acting and fight sequences, but it really surprised me in a good way; I didn't see it coming at all.

    Credit should go to the performers too for keeping their end of the game high quality. You believe all involved just as Mike Terry does throughout and when it hits him, the revelation is astounding. I believe that is due to the brilliant turn from Chiwetel Ejiofor in this lead role. Supposedly he had never had any formal martial arts training beforehand, but when you see him encompass Terry, you won't believe that. He really pulls off the realism and the energy and the stoic calm of being in control at all times, not competing because that forum only weakens you. Eijiofor carries the film on his back as he enters the world of Hollywood business and behind closed-door deals before attempting to claw his way out. Despite the opportunity presented him, he never falters from the passion he has in the sport and the willingness to help anyone in need. A true hero, Mike Terry continues on his path of righteousness, pushing the anger away and clearing his mind to prevail.

    The rest of the cast—consisting of many Mamet regulars like wife Rebecca Pidgeon, David Paymer, and Ricky Jay in small roles—take the words and nail each reading. Max Martini stands out as Terry's star pupil and backbone emotionally to the story; Alice Braga is good as the wife finding that standing by her man may not be the way to succeed financially in life; Emily Mortimer is fantastic as the troubled attorney who's accidental introduction to the gym puts everything into motion; and Tim Allen shows that maybe he still has some good serious turns in him if only he can get some time off from children's fare. Along with the acting comes some amazing choreography fight-wise too. The camera usually stays in close-up, but there aren't too many sharp cuts, allowing the full fight to play out as realistically as possible. Sure we get the one man fighting a gang and winning, but he never prevails unscathed, allowing us to believe what we are seeing.
    helpful•62
    28
    • jaredmobarak
    • May 9, 2008

    FAQ4

    • Is 'Redbelt' based on a book?
    • Why is the movie called "Redbelt"?
    • How does the "fix" actually work? It's a con, so there must be a catch.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 9, 2008 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Classics (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Portuguese
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Đai Đỏ
    • Filming locations
      • Long Beach, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Sony Pictures Classics
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,345,941
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $63,361
      • May 4, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,674,090
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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    Jun 26The Film Stage

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