Boxer

The Polish continue their successful streak with Netflix, delivering another solid film. From a technical standpoint, there’s really not much to fault—it’s well-made and has plenty of entertainment value. However, the ratings don’t quite reflect that, and I think it’s partly because, after a series of high-quality Polish films, the bar has been set really high. Perhaps the filmmakers got a little too ambitious here. The story is a fictional one, but it’s set in a very real time period, referencing not just one athlete but an entire phenomenon of athletes fleeing from a communist regime to the West. The acting is top-notch, with Eryk Kulm and Eryk Lubos delivering brilliant performances, and Adrianna Chlebicka holding her own as well. But the fictional angle feels a bit odd, and the screenplay doesn’t offer many surprises—it’s a mix of things we’ve seen before. At nearly three hours long, the film can feel like it’s dragging, but it’s worth sticking it out—the ending is genuinely beautiful. (16/09/2024)