'Bruised' review: Halle Berry delivers yet another power-packed performance

Halle Berry's directorial debut Bruised is yet another sports movie packed with cliches and entertaining stunts, where an MMA fighter makes her way back to the ring once more. Berry also stars in the film in the lead role, playing a disgraced mixed martial arts fighter who steps away from the ring. She now works as a cleaner who is stuck in an abusive relationship and has taken to alcoholism to cope.

Bruised is an average sports movie, packed with action but is thin on the plotline. Written by Michelle Rosenfarb, the movie is set to drop on Netflix on November 24.

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'Brusied' synopsis: Spoilers ahead

Bruised is the story of Jackie, a washed out MMA fighter who now works odd jobs and cleans toilets to earn a livelihood. Living with her alcoholic and abusive former manager, Desi DeMarco (Adan Canto) in a run-down neighborhood, Jackie too has taken to alcoholism to cope with her failures.

Things escalate when Jackie thrashes a teenager who tried to film her while she was changing clothes on one of her jobs and was subsequently fired. To stop Jackie's employer from pressing charges for assaulting her kid, Desi has to sell his 14-karat Golden Gloves pendant. He abuses Jackie for losing her temper and urges her to unleash her anger in the ring. But Jackie refuses to return.

Four years ago when Jackie last entered the ring, she suffered an anxiety attack and jumped out of the match. After the embarrassing defeat, she walked away from her promising career and never gave it a second thought.

One night, Desi takes Jackie to a basement brawl event. The owner recognizes Jackie as a former famed MMA fighter and provokes her to fight his underground champion, Werewolf. While Jackie attempts to get out of the situation, Werewolf attacks her. Enraged, Jackie engages and defeats Werewolf, walking out as the winner. Impressed by her ferocity, Immaculate, an MMA league owner, approaches Jackie and invites her to train under top trainer, Bobbi Buddhakan Berroa.

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A turn of events

Initially Jackie did not commit to the deal, but a surprising turn of events made her reconsider. Jackie returns home to find her mother, Angel, standing at her apartment door with Jackie’s son, Manny, whom she had abandoned. Jackie's ex-husband had recently passed away in an accident and Manny was sent to live with his mother.

Jackie decides to take up Immaculate’s offer and get back on the ring to support Manny. A new challenge awaits her as she tries to become an ace fighter, while simultaneously hustling to become an able mother too.

Immaculate offers Jackie a fight for the flyweight championship belt against the ruthless MMA fighter “Lady Killer”. To lure Jackie to the cage, he offers her 10 grand for showing up and 20 for winning. Though it was an unsanctioned fight, Jackie took the bait only for the sake of Manny.

The Lady Killer was a brutal fighter with no mercy for her opponent. After a fierce battle between Lady Killer and Jackie, the score was announced 48-47. Lady Killer held onto her Invicta FC Flyweight title, while Jackie walked away with the 10 grand promised by Immaculate for simply showing up.

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Is 'Bruised' worth the watch?

Though Bruised does not offer much in terms of the story and is pretty unsurprising in its narration, the film is heartwarming. The film is more about battling one's own demons than defeating an opponent in the ring, and proving one's talent.

Bruised approaches the bloodied, battered tropes of the fight movie genre so earnestly that the biggest cliches are rendered invisible and what remains is a feeling of victory. Despite Jackie's defeat in the ring, when she takes responsibility for her son, viewers are left with a sense of growth and resolution from the main character.

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Don't miss Bruised, the 2021 sports drama film directed by and starring Halle Berry. It will be made available to watch on Netflix from November 24.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.