Fighting (Dito Montiel, 2009)

FightingPretty much everything you need to know about this by-the-numbers clunker is summarized in the one-word title. Yes, there is plenty of fighting of the underground, bare-knuckle-brawl variety, but the film also has awkward metaphorical aspirations in tracing the generic redemptive arcs of its down-on-their-luck characters. About the only thing it really gets right is its street-level depiction of the dark side of New York City, which gives you plenty of both seedy grit and high-class depravity without slipping into caricature or exploitation. (Hollywood Jewel 16, Waco, TX)