The Boxer (1997)

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers (WGA):

Jim Sheridan (written by) &
Terry George (written by)

Release Date:

31 December 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Love is always worth fighting for.

Plot:

Nineteen year old Belfastian Danny Flynn is imprisoned for his involvement with the IRA. He leaves behind...

Plot Keywords:

Boxer | Boxing | Protestant | Belfast | Peace

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Danny Flynn
Daragh Donnelly	...	Prison Officer
Frank Coughlan	...	Prison Officer
Sean Kearns	...	Prison Officer
Lorraine Pilkington	...	Bride
Niall Shanahan	...	Groom
John Wall	...	Priest (as Father John Wall)
Maria McDermottroe	...	Betty
Carol Scanlan	...	Wedding Guest
Kate Perry	...	Wedding Guest
Andrea Irvine	...	Wedding Guest
Joan McGarry	...	Wedding Guest
Theresa McComb	...	Wedding Guest
Catherine Dunne	...	Wedding Guest
Kerrie Duggan	...	Wedding Guest

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, language, drugs and violence.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Although set in Belfast, the film was almost exclusively shot in the run-down docklands and Sheriff Street area of Dublin's North Inner City. The flat complex used in the film was earmarked for demolition but this was postponed until filming was completed. Since then the entire area has been redeveloped and now contains several multinational company headquarters, a college, hotels, up-market restaurants, a rail station and million dollar apartments.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the televised boxing match in Londonderry, no TV cameras are seen around the ring area.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Soldier: Where are you going?
Maggie: We're going home.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

IF YOU'RE IRISH, COME INTO THE PARLOUR

The Irish "Rocky"?

Daniel Day-Lewis plays a former IRA man released from prison for a bombing that took place years ago. While out and about, he tries to put his life back together by opening up a gym open to everyone regardless of their religious beliefs and rekindles an old romance with Emily Watson, even though she's got a kid and her husband, one of Day-Lewis's former fellow IRA mates, is still in jail. Naturally, the IRA starts making life rough for Day-Lewis, but he refuses to back down and be intimidated in the face of adversity.

Sure it may not dig as deeply on uncomfortable subjects the way "My Left Foot", "In The Name of the Father" or even "The Last of the Mohicans", but this is still a damn fine film addressing a still current problem in Ireland.

Daniel Day-Lewis and Emily Watson are a great pair and their chemistry helps keep the film aloft.