52
Metascore
23 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75IndieWireKristen LopezIndieWireKristen LopezBruised isn’t breaking any new ground from a narrative standpoint, but it does show the strength of Halle Berry as a director, boasting a powder keg of dominating performances within a simplistic story.
- 63Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperChicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperIt’s the MMA version of Million Dollar Baby meets Rocky in Halle Berry’s directorial debut Bruised, a well-acted and occasionally involving but overly long, cliché-stuffed sports film that hits all the usual notes and piles on the subplot drama to the point where we’re nearly exhausted by the viewing experience.
- 60VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeImpressive as Berry’s commitment to the role can be, there’s a mirthless predictability to the whole ordeal. This pro-forma sports drama, which clearly means so much to its creator, unfolds pretty much exactly as you’d expect, leaning hard on pathos, when what it really needs is personality.
- 60TheWrapYolanda MachadoTheWrapYolanda MachadoIt’s a valiant effort from Berry, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark, weighed down by a formulaic script, uneven fight direction, and little depth in exploring how a female fighter’s experience might change when a role written as a white, Irish woman is played by a Black actor.
- 60Los Angeles TimesMichael OrdoñaLos Angeles TimesMichael OrdoñaThe superb fight choreography and committed execution by the two women in the ring (real-life UFC champ Valentina Shevchenko is convincing as Jackie’s opponent), informed by Berry’s skill as an actor conveying Jackie’s desperation, make the final fight thrilling and cringe-inducing — in a good way.
- 60The GuardianPeter BradshawThe GuardianPeter BradshawBerry brings commitment and focus to the drama. She wins on points.
- 50Screen DailyTim GriersonScreen DailyTim GriersonFor a film that aspires to be a frank look at a middle-aged fighter’s hard road back to glory, Bruised too easily indulges in sports-film fantasy, undercutting the story’s inherent bleakness.
- 42The PlaylistAndrew BundyThe PlaylistAndrew BundyUnfortunately, Halle Berry’s Bruised is a grueling hybrid of your weak, everyday Sundance debut and TV sports movie.
- 38RogerEbert.comRobert DanielsRogerEbert.comRobert DanielsBerry’s Bruised is a familiar comeback tale relying on the inner-city motifs of 1990s hood films to deliver a melodramatic, barely coherent prestige vehicle with very little to say about MMA itself.