Teenage boxer Jim (Jordan Oosterhof) is preparing for his first profession fight, under the watchful eye of his demanding and alcoholic father Stan (Tim Roth). As the pressure increases and his training steps up, Jim finds himself drawn to Whetu (Conan Hayes), an openly-gay Maori boy who lives in an old shack with his dog. Torn between pleasing his father, reaching his potential as a boxer and his emerging realisation about his sexuality, Jim struggles to find the right path forward.
‘Punch’ comes from film-maker Welby Ings and it’s a coming-of-age tale set in New Zealand. A lot of the elements you would expect for a film like this are present. Jim is brought up by an alcoholic and aggressive father in a hyper-masculine world, with his friends unaccepting of anyone outside of their heterosexual sphere. He watches on as his friends display rampant homophobia towards Whetu, and he himself is aggressive towards the outsider. Add to that the token girlfriend (who mysteriously vanishes for the majority of the film unless she’s needed for a plot point) and there’s nothing particularly new here.
The film’s other issue stems from the believability of the plot. Jim doesn’t go through much of an internal struggle to understand his feelings towards Whetu and there isn’t a whole lot of conflict between his sexuality and his desire to be a boxer. Despite his friends early on in the film being cruel to Whetu, that doesn’t stop Jim from showing kindness and affection to him openly and very publicly at times. As the relationship between Jim and Whetu intensifies, Jim’s friends (much like his girlfriend) vanish from the film so there’s not a whole lot of conflict there. There’s an attempt to put in a sub-plot that sees Jim choose a shady bunch over his father to train him, but it doesn’t really go anywhere (and the way it ties back to the plot that’s come before feels convenient rather than believable).
That being said, ‘Punch’ is still enjoyable fare thanks in large part to the performances of its two leads. Jordan Oosterhof and Conan Hayes may not really look the ages they’re playing, but they sell in their characters, giving the film their all. Oosterhof capably veers between Jim’s pent-up and volatile emotions while Hayes makes Whetu a likeable character that the audience roots for. Roth, as Jim’s father Stan, adds further weight to the film even if the role he’s playing isn’t a huge stretch.
Extras on the release include interviews with director Welby Ings, and actors, Tim Roth, Jordan Oosterhof and Conan Hayes.
‘Punch’ is perfectly watchable but it’s not the great dramatic piece it aspires to be. While Ings is a capable director, his story never manages to fully convince and that holds the film back. There’s a lot of material here that could have been mined but Ings chooses only to scratch the surface. A message of hope over adversity comes through but the story could have dug much deeper to really resonate with the audience. ‘Punch’ is by no means a bad film but it does feel like a missed opportunity.
Cast: Tim Roth, Jordan Oosterhof, Conan Hayes Director: Welby Ings Writer: Welby Ings Certificate: 15 Duration: 98 mins Released by: Peccadillo Pictures Release date: 13th November 2023 Buy ‘Punch’ now
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