Jungleland
Ratings: 3/5
Duration: 01 Hr 30 Mins
Director: Max Winkler
Writer: Theodore Bressman, David Branson Smith, Max Winkler
Genre: Drama
Release Date: 06 November 2020
Star Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Jonathan Majors, Jack O'Connell, Jessica Barden, Fran Kranz, John Cullum, Nick Mullen, Meredith Holzman, Owen Burke, Johnno Wilson, Ken Cheeseman, Michael Tow, Jere Shea, Patrick M. Walsh, Frank Ridley, Bill Thorpe, Margaret Devine, Michael Stanton, Wendy Overly, Lucien Spelman, Manny Jagroop, Christopher Michael Cagle, Keith Kozlin, Kyle Cusick, Bob Mendell, Ed LaVache, Thomas J Berry, Ronald Cabral, Christina Calvao, Ellen Collins, Guy Cooper, Jamie Ghazarian, Jed Griswold, Tony Ionno, Dawayne Jordan, Gwen MacKay, Brooke Arcadio Navarro, Joseph Oliveira, Mel Powell, Russell J. Ramos, Daniel Shea, Billy Silvia, Bruce Soscia, Bruce Spears, David Torres Jr.
Plot: ‘Jungleland’ is a story about two brothers - Jack O’Connell (Lion Kaminski), a boxer, and Stanley (Charlie Hunnam), who is his brother’s cornerman, coach, masseuse, sparring partner, and bookie.
Bound by loyalty, Lion Kaminski does the fighting while the business is all Stanley’s. It is their attempt to clear their debt by participating in a lucrative fight on the other side of the country, and that forms the rest of the story.
Review: The director of the film Max Winkler has managed to portray the tricky emotion of love - it is tricky because even though you love something or someone, you don’t necessarily have to like them too! (not all the time at the least). And it is in those moments of dislike that love is most important because it keeps you tethered, for the better or worse. This happens often between family members and on a similar level, professional athletes too!
Moreover, the director is familiar with the nooks and crannies of ugly and dark modern life - truck stops and abandoned houses, crappy bathrooms, bus depots, and basements. He does not glamorize the bloody results of boxing, either. Hence, it won't be wrong to say that he has a way of showing tenderness and brutality in alternate scenes, which is top-notch.
Though this film may inevitably recall the recent ‘The Fighter’ and ‘Warrior,’ but Jungleland isn’t as good, as Max Winkler and his co-writers lack the firm grasp of genre storytelling to steer Jungleland. However, the script by Theodore B. Bressman, David Branson Smith, and Max Winkler never spoon-feeds emotion or information, and that lets naturalism rule.
When it comes to performances, Charlie Hunnam’s performance tends to be overbearing. He is simply a more appealing performer when used as a character actor. Whereas it takes a while for Jack O'Connell to get physically expressive, to make its mark, therefore feels somewhat wasted in the less developed role. Though, he remains an actor of tremendous physicality. Despite a slight build, as an athletic performer, he makes for a credible bare-knuckle boxer and exudes a sense of stoic masculinity.
As far as the technical aspects of the film are concerned, cinematographer Damian Garcia with a few briefs but expressive shots of dying industry and urban decay swiftly establishes the milieu of working-class blues, the brothers are angling to leave behind.
Overall, Jungleland makes for a reasonably effective drama thanks to its enjoyable cast and solid production values!
