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Dir: Thomas Napper (15, 91mins)
A British boxing movie written by its star, reliable character actor Johnny Harris, Jawbone grittily punches above its weight despite inevitable cliches. Harris plays Jimmy McCabe, a former youth boxing champion who has fallen on hard times and alcoholism. Needing to find a way out of his downward spiral he returns to the boxing club of his youth in search of redemption. Harris has drawn from elements of his own life, he too was a former amateur champ, but hopefully without so much depression. Ray Winstone does his predictable cockney shtick as the boxing club’s owner and Michael Smiley is as reliable as ever as the trainer thinking his ex-protege is signing his own death sentence. Ian McShane crops up as a dodgy fight promoter and Paul Weller supplies the soundtrack. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before but this pugilistic production is done with commitment and verve.
Opens May 12