Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Familiar but vivid boxing movie has violence, language, sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Bruised
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In BRUISED, Jackie Justice (Halle Berry) is a disgraced UFC fighter who walked out of a fight four years ago. Now she lives with her abusive manager/boyfriend, Desi (Adan Canto), and earns money as a domestic worker. When Desi takes her to an underground match, the fighter known as The Werewolf (Gabi Garcia) challenges Jackie, and Jackie defeats her. This is witnessed by Immaculate (Shamier Anderson), an MMA league owner who thinks he can get Jackie a major fight. But just then, Jackie's mother (Adriane Lenox) shows up with Jackie's young son, Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.), whose father has just died. As Jackie starts her training with Buddhakan (Sheila Atim) and Pops (Stephen McKinley Henderson), she must face the difficult relationships she has with Desi and her mother, while growing closer to the supportive Buddhakan. But she'll need to be at her sharpest if she's going to defeat her dangerous opponent, Lady Killer (Valentina Shevchenko).
Is It Any Good?
It has the familiar beats of many sports movies, but Berry's directorial debut looks below the surface to find an organic sense of life that's beaten and pummeled but also persistent and hopeful. The characters in Bruised feel like they've lived beyond the margins of the movie, formed well before its story began and likely to continue on after it ends. Even if viewers may have seen parts of their personalities before, in this movie it feels like they were formed by circumstance, not just as a reference to older movies. Their behavior and reactions to one another often feel desperate, as if everyone were constantly teetering near the end of their rope. But there's also an immense strength to them, an ability to try again, no matter what.
Thanks to this extra special touch -- Berry's searching, perceptive camera always seems to match the emotional tone of the scene -- nothing feels manipulative or soapy. The performances are spectacular, especially a terrifying moment in which Jackie suffers a full-blown panic attack in a restaurant. Even the final fight is endlessly gripping and impressive as we watch Berry's character pull off moves that folks two decades her junior couldn't manage. Bruised goes on a bit too long, and it takes some time to wrap up its many threads after the final fight, but it deserves a shot.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bruised's violence. How are the fight scenes different from instances of abuse?
How is drinking portrayed? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
How important is family in the movie? What's the difference between family and a support system of friends, colleagues, or partners?
Did you notice positive diverse representations in the movie? Why is that important?
How did you feel about the outcome of the fight between Jackie and Lady Killer? How did it contribute to the story or its themes?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 17, 2021
- On DVD or streaming : November 24, 2021
- Cast : Halle Berry , Danny Boyd Jr. , Sheila Atim
- Director : Halle Berry
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 132 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : pervasive language, some sexual content/nudity and violence
- Last updated : May 30, 2023
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