Most of the modern fight movies depicting boxing are absolute garbage. I did like The Fighter with Christian Bale but that's the only one I can think of...until Jawbone. Jawbone is a story of alcoholism, isolation, and a man just trying to get by with nothing. It reminds me a little bit of The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke which was also a very solid film. There's a lot of clichés in Jawbone but that doesn't mean it's a bad movie. I remember watching an interview with Taarntino in which he said the stories of Pulp Fiction are all ones you've seen before but now they're being told in a different way and that makes it special. It's the delivery of the story that makes a movie special even if it lacks originality in its themes. This is a very solid movie and I enjoyed it very much. Sadly, it'll never get the recognition it deserves because the movie industry is oversaturated with very poorly made fight movies aimed at knuckle heads. No one wants to watch Fast And Furious type trash but this is probably the demographic who will stumble across Jawbone and of course dislike it because it's not what they were expecting. In any case, I'd just like to say well done to everyone involved in making the movies - I'm not easily pleased but you've achieved that with this movie.

That's certainly a true UK movie, far, far, far better than the US crap, such as ROCKY series and other SOUTHPAW with happy ending for sissies. This is TRUE life, true f... life. If you are depressed, ready to commit suicide, avoid this so beautiful but AUTHENTIC story about a world in which you are about to be crashed, poisoned, cheated and smashed if you are not lucky and strong enough to survive. Acting, directing, editing are superb. A so moving tale about a garbage world where only the strongest can make it in the end. Struggle, struggle and struggle again, that's the name of the game. Ken Loach could have made it. The social agency scene in the beginning reminded me I DANIEL BAKE. Such a shame that this beautiful little movie won't be released in France. Maybe in DVD only. A real must see.

Manny's Movie Musings: "Jawbone" is about a homeless, alcoholic ex-boxer (played by Johnny Harris, who also wrote the script) who seeks to get his life in order with the help of two friends (played by Ray Winstone and Michael Smiley) who run a boxing gym that Harris is secretly crashing in every night. Out of cash and without a job, Harris seeks an underground, boxing match with a younger, stronger fighter. A creepy gangster played by Ian McShane sets up the fight, and Harris will have to struggle with and suppress all his demons so that he can be in the best shape possible and give the crowd their money's worth…and come out of the fight alive. "Jawbone" is a raw, dark (literally and figuratively) story of one man's battle against his own, self-destructive nature. My most memorable, movie moment is the scene when Harris holds a bottle of liquor, staring at it, contemplating whether to drink it or not. Harris' eyes, his facial expressions…all show the torment in his soul fighting against his addiction.Mannysmemorablemoviemoments

Boxing has proved fertile ground for writers and directors. Jawbone is certainly a welcome addition and deserves to be seen. One of the strongest elements to film is the tight script that like its protagonist is lean and, eventually, determined.The film starts with Jimmy McCabe (Johnny Harris) having reached rock bottom, viewing the world through the bottom of a vodka bottle and close to eviction from his late mother's flat. Very much a character driven piece, the film involves and reveals slowly with small vignettes of Jimmy and those who supported him.Ray winstone and Ian mcshane are excellent but it's Michael smiley who takes the plaudits as Jimmy seeks some kind of redemption. Well worth searching out!!