In this film, Michael Caine plays 'Shiner' Simpson, a brutal, horrid bully of a man who is always accompanied by two bruisers who treat everyone around them like rubbish. Sometimes this includes breaking a guy's arms, another time is involved flipping a guy's car over even though he'd done nothing. Clearly they are criminal types who are menaces to everyone around them. There appear to be no redeeming qualities to these men...none.
As a result of his brutality, Shiner has been banned from most legitimate boxing matches. However, he has one big chance at hitting the big time, as his son is an up and coming boxer who has a chance to become champion. How will it end? And, if the son loses, how will this violent and irrational man handle it?
This is an interesting portrait of a very disturbed and ugly person. It is interesting...but it's also unrelentingly grim. You also really don't care about him nor his problems. As a result, I think many folks will feel turned off by the film and its ultra-violence. I enjoyed it mildly...but in the end was left numb due to the overall nastiness of the characters and their worthless lives. Definitely NOT a film for all tastes.
