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Girlfight

Girlfight

List Price: $14.94
Your Price: $13.45
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Let's compare it to Rocky I
Review: Round 1: Dialogue, goes to Girlfight. Rocky also has good dialogue. But Girlfight wins for realism, beauty in simplicity.


Round 2: Soundtrack, goes to Girlfight. Rocky I doesn't even put up a fight here. (Remember that "Eye of the Tiger" wasn't until Rocky III.) But again the points go to Girlfight for a simple, excellent, unpretentious soundtrack.


Round 3: Storyline, goes to Girlfight. Far more inspiring, and a little more interesting.


Decision: Girlfight. Now I mean no disrespect to Rocky I, because it's a good movie. I only make the comparison to show how good Girlfight is. Enjoy it very much.


p.s. Although it's rated "R" for language, it's perfectly viewable by any 12 year old girl. If this is "R" then Brittany Spears or a middle school hallway is "NC-17."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An excellent movie
Review: Michelle Rodriguez is the best breakthrough actress in many years. This movie is one of the best movies that has come out in a long time. It portrays an urban life - real life for one girl, and how she comes so far. It's a great film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GirlFight
Review: Girlfight has been well received by the public and critics alike. The film portrays the dismal living conditions of the Bronx.

The opening scene sets the tone for the film, as the camera focuses on a young girl obviously in her teenage years with stunning looks and an intense persona. Within ten minutes she is fighting the lead cheerleader, a teacher disbands the fight and Diana Guzman (Michelle Rodrigez), gets a formal warning from the head mistress. It becomes clear, when Diana walks home through the projects, where her aggressive behavior stems from, living in a small flat with a father, who is an alcoholic and gambler.

Diana also lives with her younger brother Tiny, (Ray Sntigo) and although he is understanding of Diana, he deals with the situation differently by immersing himself in books and art. They are both fighting their fathers' social paradigm and it is clear Diana has played the role of mother and bodyguard to Tiny throughout the absence of a mother figure. This is seen when Diana punches Tiny's boxing opponent, after an un-fair match. They are both fighting for survival and to finally break the family mold.

It is not until Diana manages to convince her brother's boxing coach to become her mentor that Diana's full potential is materialized. She has the power all she needs to develop is technique and stamina. Determined to make it and become a good fighter she starts running laps at her school, and starts training seriously with Hector (Jamie Tirelli) her coach, he recognizes her talent and starts entering her into competitions, although in her first fight her opponent is disqualified she continues to train hard. It is whilst training at the local gym that she meets her boyfriend Adrian (Santigo Douglas), a smooth talking mechanic who sees his way out of poverty by becoming a professional boxer, not only does he have the good looks but he also has the talent. Issues arise in their relationship when Diana finds out that he has been seeing a very good looking girlfriend on the side, she is used as a party piece to show off to all the other boxers, this is how he gains respect in and out of the boxing ring. Diana's father opposes her boxing career and tries his hardest to stop her, it is not until they end up having a fist fight and he loses to Diana that he becomes distant and ultimately disinterested. It is his attitude that makes her want to become one of the best and she goes on to fight one of the best amateur female boxers to win. It is from this point on that she is treated seriously by her male peers.

She gets through to the finals and she has to compete against Adrian. She wins, not only the fight but also her pride. This film is fantastic, although the acting can be a bit wooden in parts, and the visual quality is poor. The over all performances from Michelle Rodregez and especially Jamie Trielli are impressive.

The director's ability to question social acceptability is inspirational. Karyn Kusama is a director to watch for in the future.

This film is for all the girls who never quite fitted in at school and as adults find it hard to embrace the image that pervades capitalist society as we know it. The female image that is depicted in fashion magazines and television. The one that states all women should wear makeup follow fashion and be unhealthily slim. This film embraces women who don't fit the social paradigm and celebrates their difference.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GIRLFIGHT EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS!
Review: Directed by first-time director/writer Karyn Kusama, Girlfight is a gripping urban drama that follows the trials of Diana (Michelle Rodriguez) a tomboyish protagonist with a tortured past and an emotionless father. Equipped with her bruting fists and emblazoned emotion, Diana decides to take her distaste of all things wrong with those in her immediate sphere of influence and put it to productive use, through the vein of boxing. In this film we follow her through the hollowed detention halls of her inner-city high school, the romance that blossoms between her and the boyfriend her father refuses to accept, and her journey through the patriarchal arena of professional boxing. Shot in a documentary-style (devoid of big-budget Hollywood sheen) to give the film a rawer, more realistic edge, Girlfight takes many risks and pulls them off brillantly. The film is so captivating that you find yourself rewinding certain moments over and over to keep those feelings within your heart. You become attached to the characters of the film and you begin to care about their tribulations. Almost all of the elements of Girlfight work, from the style in which Kusama shoots the fast-paced boxing scenes to the subliminal marker-written messages situated throughout the film. The only drawbacks of the film is the angle Kusama chooses to take in beginning her story, she doesn't give to much detail into Diana's past life, only a few brief allusions mentioned during the scenes at the dinner table. With that aside, Girlfight maintains its grit, furvor, and raw intimacy with intensely effective results. This is a must see film for all of those who've ever felt misunderstood or have had to rise above and beyond the call of duty. One of the best films of 2000. Recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This film is real. It's so real that I forgot it was a film.
Review: Girlfight is the seemingly simple story of a Diana, a young woman from the projects with an attitude who trains to be a boxer. Played brilliantly by the newcomer Michelle Rodriguez, the role calls for a brooding hostile intensity as well as a deep sensitivity. Diana has to be strong, both physically mentally in order to battle the stereotypes in her macho Latino culture. And Michelle Rodriguez doesn't just have power in her biceps; she has power in her eyes. One of her narrow-eyed scowls says more than pages of dialog. During the film she learns to focus her rage into her boxing, and the joy of her growing control is apparent by the delight on her face. She also falls in love with a young male boxer, Adrian, played by Santiago Douglas, and their relationship has its ups and downs. Eventually, they have to fight each other in the ring.

The whole cast is excellent -- Jaime Tirelli as her trainer, Ray Santiago as her little brother, Elisa Bocanegra as her girlfriend, and Paul Calderon as her brutal father. And, in a small cameo performance, the famous director, John Sayles, is cast as a boring science teacher. Later, I discovered that the brilliant 32-year old writer and director of this film, Karyn Kusama, went through some training of her own. She is John Sayles former assistant and this, her first film, has already won all kinds of awards. I predict a long and brilliant career for her as well as the young actress. The entire production deserves a well-earned Bravo! Girlfight is winner on all levels. Don't miss it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excelent.
Review: This movie is absoulutely awesome. It shows that grrrls can be just as tough as the boys and sometimes even tougher (and that grrrls can be really tough and attractive at the same time). It plays some awesome games with gender roles and expectations. I think that everyone should see it at least once.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Life is War?!
Review: I had expected this movie to be good as it met with critical acclaim. I am left wondering, did I watch the same movie as everyone else?

The gist of the movie is that Diana is frustrated by the inattentiveness of her father. She also has a lot of pent-up anger and finds that boxing is a way to channel it. This is an interesting premise, which makes it too bad that the movie does not do it justice. This is a classic example of a movie that underestimates the intelligence of the audience and beats its point across with a big stick. The writer clearly wanted to give Diana some depth, so the audience is shuttled back and forth between shots of glistening biceps and people duking it out and long scenes of Diana contemplating the mysteries of life. At length.

The final blow for me was when Diana is sharing a soulful moment with her boyfriend, explaining to him why she has to be so devoted to boxing. She says in a somber, totally serious tone, "Life is war". Saying that this movie is chock full of cliches and somewhat predictable is unfortunately an understatement. Sometimes, predictability and cliches can be a good thing in that the movie ends up hysterically funny despite its intention to be a serious movie. I kept hoping up until the end to at least get a good giggle out of it, but this movie can't even be placed in the "so bad, it's good" department. It's just plain bad.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Doesn't Pull Any Punches
Review: The first step to getting off of that road that leads to nowhere is recognizing that you're on it in the first place; then it becomes a matter of being assertive and taking positive steps to overcome the negative influences in your life that may have put you on that road to begin with. Which is exactly what a young Latino girl does in "Girlfight," written and directed by Karyn Kusama. Diana (Michelle Rodriguez) is an eighteen-year-old High School senior from the projects in Brooklyn, facing expulsion after her fourth fight in the halls since the beginning of the semester. She affects a "whatever" attitude which masks a deep-seated anger that threatens to take her into places she'd rather not go. She lives with her father, Sandro (Paul Calderon), with whom she has a very tentative relationship, and her younger brother, Tiny (Ray Santiago). With her life teetering on the brink of dissolution, she desperately needs an outlet through which to channel the demons that plague her. And one day she finds it, without even looking for it, when she stops by the gym where Tiny trains. Ironically, Tiny wants nothing to do with boxing; he wants to go to art school, but Sandro is determined that his son should be able to take care of himself on the streets, and pays the ten dollars a week it costs for his lessons. When Diana convinces Tiny's trainer, Hector (Jaime Tirelli), to take her on, and approaches her father for the money, under the guise of calling it a weekly allowance (she doesn't want him to know what she wants the money for), Sandro turns her down and tells her to go out and earn her own money. Ultimately, with Tiny's help she finds a way, and the ring soon becomes her second home. It's an environment to which she readily adapts, and it appears that her life is about to take a turn for the better. And the fact that she will have to fight men, not women, in "gender blind" competitions, does not faze her in the least. Diana has found her element.

First time writer/director Karyn Kusama has done a terrific job of creating a realistic setting for her story, presenting an honest portrait of life in the projects and conveying that desperation so familiar to so many young people who find themselves in dead-end situations and on that road that leads to nowhere. And there's no candy coating on it, either; as Hector tells Diana when she asks him how he came to be where he is, "I was a fighter once. I lost." Then, looking around the busy gym, "Like most of these guys, they're going to lose, too. But it's all they know--" And it's that honesty of attitude, as well as the way in which the characters are portrayed, that makes this movie as good as it is. It's a bleak world, underscored by the dimly lit, run-down gym-- you can fairly smell the sweat of the boxers-- and that sense of desolation that hangs over it all like a pall, blanketing these people who are grasping and hanging on to the one and only thing they have, all that they know.

Making her screen debut, Michelle Rodriguez is perfectly cast as Diana, infusing her with a depth and brooding intensity that fairly radiates off of her in waves. She is so real that it makes you wonder how much of it is really Rodriguez; exactly where does the actor leave off and the character begin? Whatever it is, it works. It's a powerful, memorable performance, by an actor from whom we will await another endeavor with great anticipation. She certainly makes Diana a positive role model, one in whom many hopefully will find inspiration and the realization that there are alternative paths available in life, at least to those who would seek them out.

As positive as this film is, however, it ends on something of an ambiguous note; though Diana obviously has her feet on the ground, there's no indication of where she's headed. Is this a short term fix for her, or is she destined to become the female counterpart of Hector? After all, realistically (and in light of the fact that the realism is one of the strengths of this film), professional boxing isn't exactly a profession that lends itself to, nor opens it's arms to women. And in keeping with the subject matter of the film, and the approach of the filmmaker, an affirmation of the results of Diana's assertiveness would have been appropriate.

The supporting cast includes Santiago Douglas (Adrian), Elisa Bocanegra (Marisol), Alicia Ashley (Ricki) and Thomas Barbour (Ira). Though it delivers a very real picture of life to which many will be able to identify, there are certain aspects of "Girlfight," that stretch credibility a bit, regarding some of what happens in the ring. That aside, it's a positive film that for the most part is a satisfying experience.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GIRLfight
Review: This movie is so0oo good!!! everyone should see it!!! the guy who plays adrien is hot!! diana is so lucky!! i also like her brother, tiny, because he is so nice and cute!! everyone needs to see this movie...these people who wrote bad reveiws need to shut up..this movie is great!!! Anyone who reads this needs to purchase this movie NOW!!!! also everyone needs to go buy the *NSYNC cd!!!!!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: fast forward not fast enough
Review: utter boredom. the fighting was more like lovers enjoying a passionate scramble. More American rubbish


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