Tommy Riley (James Marshall), a tough white Irish kid from Bridgeport, moves with his down-and-out father to Chicago's south side. Tommy's family was up heaved by his mother's death from cancer and his father's subsequent descent into gambling and alcoholism. The new neighborhood is predominantly black and Tommy is left alone as his father pounds pavement looking for a new job. After defending himself using his Golden Gloves honed boxing skills against a local street gang called the Stormtroopers outside of a diner where he works as a dishwasher, Pappy Jack (Robert Loggia), a recruiter for an underground boxing competition, convinces Tommy to fight an unregulated amateur boxing match. Tommy agrees, seeing a quick way to make some money to help pay his father's gambling debts. Tommy enters the world of underground boxing run by sleazy promoter and former light heavyweight contender, Mr. Horne (Brian Dennehy). Horne's world is one of money, blackmail, and violence. He's also not above manipulating his young fighters like Tommy's friends, Romano (John Seda) and Lincoln (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), for a quick profit. Tommy struggles to keep above the temptations of the quick money from boxing while hanging on to his honor. Good performances all around, especially from Cuba Gooding, Jr., and an interesting take on the old underground fighting plot. Satisfying entertainment for a weekend afternoon.
Review of Gladiator
