Fighting Tommy Riley

I wouldn't have watched this, except that I'm working my way through gay cinema. I find boxing absolutely THE lowest form of entertainment. I understand that many people like watching fights and fight movies but for me that's just a sad commentary on the human condition.

So, while this was on I had one eye on a magazine for the first third or so. By midpoint, I got interested and stopped reading the magazine. By three-quarters in, I was totally involved.

I thought the performances were all good. I was conscious of the score reinforcing the mood maybe a little too much. I liked this movie, even though I generally have little respect for the genre. I could appreciate Million Dollar Baby, but I didn't particularly like it. This movie I liked. That probably has more to do with my being gay than anything else.

"Fighting Tommy Riley" is one of the absolute best movies I have ever seen. Many critics called it comparable to "Million Dollar Baby". The fact is, Hillary Swank did a phenomenal job in that one, but the prize goes to JP Davis for the better movie. I was honestly compelled throughout the entire movie, so many secrets, so much passion, love, and loyalty. This movie, I agree, was underexposed and I can only hope that everyone spreads the word about it. I would dub this a MUST SEE film. Another fact that makes this movie a complete success is that JP Davis, wrote, produced, and acted the movie. ALL of the performances were outstanding! And I do think that we will be seeing more of JP Davis as his career will soar very soon. This movie was absolutely a great film and I recommend it to everyone that asks me to tell them the name of a movie I think to be good. This is a for sure classic movie and I could see it being remade and re-released in the future, however I doubt it will be as good. As someone that wants to be an actor I must say, JP Davis acting, producing, and writing the movie is something I would aspire to do...and so should every actor. He throws the audience twists and turns and a PERFECT ending!

Just saw this on DVD, still buzzing, forgive me if I gush a bit... AMAZING film, imo. Great fan of boxing flix, which is why I picked this up. But this is really not about boxing at all; the boxing part is just a great and compelling metaphor for the get-back-up-and-keep-on-keeping-on thing, could have been anything that justified getting these characters together in such an intense way, so it worked fine, but it's just the setting; the story is the relationship, the histories, the gifts, the consequences, the layers... totally smokes Million$Baby, I think, in so many ways. Great performances, fascinating cinematography/art-direction, like great book illustration, often, esp. in the beginning, gut-wrenchingly moving... See it!

To be honest, I came in at the middle of this film. but the part I didn't come into was pretty good.

I really have to see the entire film to really give an honest opinion.

There are so many different reviews on this site - it's just crazy.

Tommy seemed to me to be jealous of the old man working with other boxers, so I don't know.

I really need to see the beginning of this film to truly understand the core of their relationship.

I did, however, feel that Tommy did love this man who was his trainer, but in today's world - of course - this type of love is taboo, which is really stupid.

I saw the world premier of Fighting Tommy Riley at the LA Film Festival on Sunday June 20th. This is a really really good film. Eddie Jones (Marty) gives a beautifully layered performance that moved me to tears at points. Diane Tayler's "Diane Stone" gave a spark to the film. I only wish I had seen more of here character and that the relationship that she and Marty had developed more. J P Davis was good also. This film in many ways has a familiar story but it is told in a different way. I was not expecting to like a film set in the boxing world so much but this film is about love and the ties that bind us. I hope that this film gets distribution because it is a great film with some really good performances.