Day of the Fight (2023 film)

Day of the Fight (2023 film)

Day of the Fight is a 2023 American drama film written and directed by Jack Huston in his directorial debut. It was inspired by and named after Day of the Fight, Stanley Kubrick's famed 1951 short-subject documentary. It stars Michael Pitt, Nicolette Robinson, John Magaro, Steve Buscemi, Ron Perlman, and Joe Pesci. It premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023.

Plot

Day of the Fight (2023 film)

Follows a once-renowned boxer (Pitt) as he takes a redemptive journey through his past and present, on the day of his first fight since he left prison.

Cast

Day of the Fight (2023 film)

• Michael Pitt as Mike Flannigan • Ron Perlman as Stevie • Nicolette Robinson as Jessica • John Magaro as Patrick • Joe Pesci as Tony, Mike's father • Steve Buscemi as Colm, Mike's uncle • Anatol Yusef as Saul

Production

Day of the Fight (2023 film)

In December 2022, it was announced that production on the film had begun in New York and New Jersey. In June 2023, it was announced that principal photography had been completed.

The cast features several actors who starred in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire previously, including Pitt, Buscemi, and Yusef, as well as Huston himself who played disfigured World War I veteran Richard Harrow.

Release

Day of the Fight (2023 film)

In 2024, Falling Forward Films had acquired the U.S. distribution rights, and set a limited release date for November 15, followed shortly by a nationwide expansion, with intent on qualifying for the upcoming awards season. The film premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023.

Reception

Day of the Fight (2023 film)

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 48 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "An old-fashioned slugger story that leans heavily on its arresting visual style, Day of the Fight marks a bruising and vivid directorial debut for Jack Huston." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Guy Lodge of Variety gave the film a positive review despite noting that "the cliché count edges into drinking-game territory". He praised the cinematography, writing, "The light and shade here is all in Peter Simonite's splendid, inky-shadowed monochrome lensing; Huston's visual sense outweighs his screenwriting."