To me, this movie is perfection.

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

A former youth boxing champion has fallen on hard times. When he hits rock bottom he is drawn to the demon drink but the glimmer of hope inside him smoulders and crackles enough to burn off any excess fat, alcohol and personal redundancy. With his inner London estate that he calls home disappearing around him he turns to his childhood boxing club and the only family he has left: boxing gym owner Ray Winstone, a straight forward good egg and corner man played by Michael Smiley, and sharp and slick promoter, and foil, Ian McShane. Risking his life for a meagre pay day we witness a man fight for a new beginning. Jawbone is very tightly scripted, well balanced and of good length - perfect for repeat viewing. It's also well acted with very little histrionics. The drawbacks are plot progression - it has a well-worn and familiar boxing narrative and it doesn't have quite enough cinematic scale. That said, it is enjoyable and well observed as a modern day British boxing drama.

Manny's Movie Musings: "Jawbone" is about a homeless, alcoholic ex-boxer (played by Johnny Harris, who also wrote the script) who seeks to get his life in order with the help of two friends (played by Ray Winstone and Michael Smiley) who run a boxing gym that Harris is secretly crashing in every night. Out of cash and without a job, Harris seeks an underground, boxing match with a younger, stronger fighter. A creepy gangster played by Ian McShane sets up the fight, and Harris will have to struggle with and suppress all his demons so that he can be in the best shape possible and give the crowd their money's worth…and come out of the fight alive. "Jawbone" is a raw, dark (literally and figuratively) story of one man's battle against his own, self-destructive nature. My most memorable, movie moment is the scene when Harris holds a bottle of liquor, staring at it, contemplating whether to drink it or not. Harris' eyes, his facial expressions…all show the torment in his soul fighting against his addiction.Mannysmemorablemoviemoments

I really liked this UK movie about an alcoholic boxer who is down on his luck and is given a chance at redemption. Okay, not an original movie but certainly one where you care about the main character Jimmy. It could have been better, as it was slow in parts, but the last fifteen minutes are the best boxing moments I have seen in a movie. I was screaming at the screen for Jimmy (Johnny Harris, brilliantly played) and for him to recover from his pugilistic pummeling. Director Thomas Napper has done a great job, though he could have ramped up the tension if he's tried a little harder. Ian McShane and Ray winstone were only there to entice viewers to watch it and did very little for the film. But, nevertheless, I totally recommend this movie. I want to see more from Napper in the future.

Boxing has proved fertile ground for writers and directors. Jawbone is certainly a welcome addition and deserves to be seen. One of the strongest elements to film is the tight script that like its protagonist is lean and, eventually, determined.The film starts with Jimmy McCabe (Johnny Harris) having reached rock bottom, viewing the world through the bottom of a vodka bottle and close to eviction from his late mother's flat. Very much a character driven piece, the film involves and reveals slowly with small vignettes of Jimmy and those who supported him.Ray winstone and Ian mcshane are excellent but it's Michael smiley who takes the plaudits as Jimmy seeks some kind of redemption. Well worth searching out!!