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Back in the Day
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mature boxing drama means well but falls far short.
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Back in the Day
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What's the Story?
In BACK IN THE DAY, middleweight boxer Anthony Rodriguez (William DeMeo) wins the championship and agrees to a sit-down interview with sports writer Larry Merchant (playing himself). Anthony tells the story of his drunken Puerto Rican father (Manny Perez) and the sad fate of his beloved mother (Annabella Sciorra). He also tells about growing up, mixed-race, surrounded by the neighborhood gangsters; one of them, Enzo (Michael Madsen), takes a liking to Anthony and looks after him, but Anthony's best friend, Matty (Joe D'Onofrio), is a bad influence on him. Anthony is in love with Maria (Shannen Doherty), but she's involved with the abusive "made" guy Dominick (Ronnie Marmo). If only Anthony can keep it together long enough to win the big fight, maybe he can make something of himself.
Is It Any Good?
Star William DeMeo also wrote and produced this well-meaning, heartfelt boxing drama, but even with a great cast, it's too long, painfully overwritten, amateurish, and embarrassingly awkward. To start, Back in the Day shows its climactic fight at the beginning and tells the rest in flashback, so there's nothing to look forward to. And ech dialogue-heavy scene plays out roughly the same, with characters showing up somewhere, talking, and then leaving.
Actors like Madsen and Alec Baldwin manage to find things to work with in between their voluminous dialogue and come away with their dignity mostly intact. But the less-experienced actors haven't a prayer. The fight scenes aren't even exciting, turned bland by far too many cutaways to fans at ringside. Most of the soapy story elements have been done elsewhere, and better, but director Paul Borghese drags the movie out to a torturous two hours, as if pure repetition could pound some life into this punishing pugilist project.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Back in the Day's violence. Does it seem over the top? How does it contribute to the story? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Do you think the main character is admirable for the way he works hard to make something of himself? Or do his setbacks make him less heroic?
How does the movie handle sex? What is the main character's attitude toward sex? Why do you think Matty is constantly seeking sex? How much sexual content in media is appropriate for kids?
How is drinking depicted? Why do the characters drink? Is it for pleasure or other reasons?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 20, 2016
- On DVD or streaming: June 28, 2016
- Cast: Michael Madsen , Shannen Doherty , William DeMeo
- Director: Paul Borghese
- Studio: Virgil Films and Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts
- Run time: 121 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 9, 2023
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