There’s an interesting story to be told about Jem Belcher, the Bristol bare-knuckle prizefighter and Champion of All England in the early years of the 19th century who became a working-class hero and pop-culture icon mentioned by Dickens and Conan Doyle. This biopic is clearly a labour of love for its writer-producer-star Matt Hookings, himself the son of a boxing champion, David Pearce, the “Welsh Rocky”.
Hookings’ feature suggests that Belcher was the first star boxer, a pioneer of the modern sport – and speculates he was even one of the first to use gloves. But despite the film’s historical interest, it plays like a Carry On film without the gags, and the way it is shot makes it look like a coffee commercial. Russell Crowe rumbles and grumbles and grins his way through the small role of Jem’s mighty grandfather Jack Slack, whose bareknuckle exploits inspire the saucer-eyed lad, and Jodhi May has the deeply thankless role of Jem’s sorrowing mum, disapproving of her son’s boxing destiny with a face like a wet Wednesday.
Ray Winstone plays Jem’s martinet trainer Bill, who ushers in modern-style training scenes and roadwork montages, while Marton Csokas is the creepy, drawling Lord Rushworth who hosts a fancy party for Jem and Bill. The latter are suspicious of the bubbles in the wine Rushworth offers them, and their aristocratic host brays: “Something special from the antichrist in France; they call it cham – paaagne…!” He offers to facilitate Jem’s entry into London’s lucrative sporting circles, but is of course no friend to him.
Straight-to-video doesn’t mean the same thing in this era of streaming, but however well meant, this film is straight-to-ITV4.
• Prizefighter is released on 22 July on Prime Video.
