Search - Punch on DVD

Worth taking a swing at

Dan Brady | Minneapolis, MN United States | 05/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay - up front, the characters aren't typical of movies. The father is a wimp, totally lost at how to discipline his daughter. The daughter is socially estranged, fixated on her father, jealous of his girlfriend, and simmering with anger. The girlfriend is emotionally timid, indecisive, and scorns her sister while feeling guilt about not protecting her from some dark secret in their past. The sister is compassionate to women and emotionally abusive to men, quick to take offense at every opportunity. The topless boxing is populated by women who look better with their clothes on, and the bartender is an insensitive clod.

In short, they're typical people, with all of the flaws of people that we know - they're annoyingly believable. Nobody is Hollywood beautiful, the characters are human, and you see hints at stories that you never learn.

The main plot is about watching these people deal with their problems, and the problems of the people that they care about. The ending is on a hopeful note - but it's no fairy-tale "they lived happily ever after".

All in all, an amazingly realistic look at very realistic people - not a great movie, but good, and beautifully casted, written, and directed."

Thought-provoking, funny, interesting movie

Dan Brady | 05/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Punch (2002) was a huge hit at the Vancouver Film Festival. I saw it there and loved it.
Canadian actor, Michael Riley, gives a subtle, understated performance. It's beautiful to watch a male star who doesn't try to steal his scenes from the women around him.
Newcomer Sonja Bennett gives a gutsy, startling, riveting performance as the troubled teen, Ariel. Supporting cast is all excellent.
An interesting script. Not typically Hollywood. Punch (2002) is funny, rude, tender, caring, rough, optimistic, intelligent, interesting. Surpisingly (given that includes topless female boxing) this is a movie that women love.
It's worth seeing twice. I'm looking forward to seeing the DVD version with Director, Guy Bennett's, comments."

Good Movie

Dude2006 | Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada | 08/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was a good movie. The direction was solid and the storyline interesting. The movie actually centered more around the dynamics between the relationship of the father and daughter than female boxing, and this was a good thing. What really made this film was the lead actress, Sonja Bennett. Her acting was excellent; plus she's beautiful. (always a good combination) There was one scene in particular where she is sitting naked on a bed with her legs apart in an attempt to seduce her tutor. She may not have seduced him, but she sure seduced me! That scene alone is worth the price of the dvd. The actress has a sex appeal that oozes through at all times. This adds to the realism of the film and makes the odd quasi-incestous relationship between the father and daughter believable and somewhat understandable. Another interesting twist is that this film was actually directed by the actresses' father, Guy Bennett.

It's hard to define this film, as there are several sub-plots operating simultaneously, but I bought it and I would definitely recommend it. Kudos to both Guy Bennett and Sonja Bennett for a job well done. I hope to see more of Sonja. If Hollywood ever discovers her, she could become a star, since she's a first-rate actress."

Sleeper Indie from Canada

C. Fischer | Bloomington, IN United States | 09/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is really a review of the film, since I saw it on satellite and can't comment on the DVD's quality or extras, but I feel that this gem is worth your attention since it was not distributed very widely or very well.

It is a film whose themes on the surface (incestual longings, teen hostility, failed relationships, topless women boxers being exploited) might seem off-putting or even sensationalist, but the film, under a sure director and his cast, manages to spin this stuff into real acting gold by drawing out motivations and actions in the characters and letting them unfold gradually rather than telegraphing all its punches."