Bang Bang – Review

Bernard ‘Bang Bang’ Rozyski (Nelson) gets out of the back of an SUV on a rainy night, he is beaten and patched up. Cutting back in time, the same man is prancing in his underwear in his living room, wielding a snub nose revolver. Boxing is on the TV, and booze is in hand. The life of a retired fighter may often look like this…

He has the name “Bobby” tattooed on his shoulder. Eventually his gunplay and drinking lead him to puke in a small garbage can. Next, we see him in a wheelchair, zipping down the local Illinois suburb neighborhood streets. It’s hard to tell how competent this man is, or what he is really doing. Pills in the jacket pocket explain some of his actions.

When he visits his daughter Jen (Arianda), his grandkid Justin (Liner) is there. He’s had a tough time in school with fighting and has probation with a lot of community service due. Jen needs someone to watch him for a while, as she has taken a job in Chicago and will only be back on weekends. Will the alcoholic Bang Bang be able to handle helping his grandkid get back on the rails, and how can he reconcile with his twin brother, Bobby, who was also once a fighter.

While Bang Bang is technically a boxing piece, it really has no sport fighting other than background themes, so primarily it is a life drama which dives into plenty of somber substance. It is an actors showcase and moves slowly while it delivers its emotional tale of attempted redemption. Nelson is his typical chameleon self and sinks into the main role, showcasing his usual extremely good acting talent.

This film is not a happy time, or a feel-good time, but it is realistic in its approach to people and their actions. It is a mature take on life and its miseries for some people, and it covers tough relationships and abuses, all while showcasing ex-fighters and a motivation of purpose and redemption.

The film is low budget but the directing is intimate enough to let the actors shine. The presentation may be a bit gritty and by the numbers, but it doesn’t hamper the experience, nor does the lack of funding. The slice of life presented here may not be for everyone, but it is a well-acted adult drama.

“You never had a ketchup sandwich?”