What’s it about?
Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a pro boxer with a dodgy defence technique but a string of wins under his light heavyweight champion belts. When tragedy strikes his wife (Rachel McAdams) and daughter (Oona Laurence) and custody of his child is taken away, he has to fight to get his life – and career – back on track, with the help of a new, old school trainer (Forest Whitaker).

What did we think?
Angela says: Even though this film has a stellar cast who produce some stonking performances (special nods to Whitaker, McAdams and Laurence). Even though the fight scenes are horrendously, gruesomely well done (as one of those who finds boxing to be the epitome of human savagery, I had my face turned away for a third of the film). Even though I had a tear in my eye on more than one occasion. And even though it’s not actually the same storyline. This still feels like Rocky-lite. Sorry, but it does. It’s a good film but it won’t have Sly’ staying power.