Review of Shadowboxer (2005) by Bob P — 12 Jul 2008

Cuba Gooding Jr. and Helen Mirren as a pair of romantically involved contract killers sounds like a high concept if ever there was one, but, stunt casting aside, the story itself is nothing spectacularly original.

It helps to know as little as possible about this film since the plot trajectory itself is quite easy to work out; too much synopsis would reveal some of the twists (and by the way, don't even think about watching the trailer first as it's far too heavy on revelations).

Suffice it to say that it's, surprisingly, the casting itself that elevates this assassin flick out of the ordinary. Mirren is reliably superb as ever, even with a dodgy accent, and in addition there's good value in Dorff's charismatic baddie, a scene-stealing Mo'Nique, a bizarre but enjoyable bit from Macy Gray and even another excellent role for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Acting aside, there's a lot of interesting and/or disturbing stuff that you'd never find in a mainstream Hollywood product: realistic sex scenes (an aborted sex scene, squelchy sex noises), death by pool cue and a cross-dressing Gooding Jr.

are just some of the unexpected developments. Worth a rental, certainly.