Shadowboxer

Name: Shadowboxer
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: July 21, 2006
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 33

2006

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Ratings

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5.8

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5.8	Your Score
5.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Ratings

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Shadowboxer

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Movie Details & Credits

Freestyle Releasing | Release Date: July 21, 2006 | R

Summary: Shadowboxer is an emotionally-charged, full-throttle noir, which delves deep into the harsh underworld of organized crime and uncovers the complex lives of trained assassins, Mikey (Gooding Jr.) and Rose (Mirren). (Teton Films)

Director: Lee Daniels

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Greg Burk

This is a sick flick. Sick, but satisfying. A cartoonish parable in the mode of Cronenberg's "A History of Violence." Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Despite the edifying square-up -- moral lessons about family, the legacy of violence and the tenacious power of love -- the appeal is freak-show all the way. Read full review

Robert Koehler

Admirably jostles and upends the fatigued killer-for-hire genre. Read full review

Jessica Reaves

Gruesome and supremely disjointed foray into the world of hired assassins. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

If he earns no other accolades for his directorial debut - a distinct likelihood - Lee Daniels deserves some kind of award just for assembling the most bizarrely random cast of this young century. Read full review

Dennis Lim

This monumentally ridiculous film doesn't stop at subverting stereotypes; it discombobulates narrative logic and the basic laws of human behavior. Still, there's a certain pleasure to be derived from watching the actors attempt to dig out from under the rubble that William Lipz's screenplay repeatedly dumps on their heads. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

It doesn't take long to figure out that Shadowboxer 's Helen Mirren, as a cancer-ridden hitwoman, and Cuba Gooding Jr., as her doting stepson, are the most unconvincing team of hired assassins in movie history. Read full review

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User Reviews

Dr.MarilynW.

Nov 19, 2006

While a number of critics have said many negtive things about this film, my rating is based solely on my emotion reaction to this film. I loved it - all of it. The characters were interesting, the scenes fascinating, the acting excellent, the subplots intriguing. I was turned-on sexually by While a number of critics have said many negtive things about this film, my rating is based solely on my emotion reaction to this film. I loved it - all of it. The characters were interesting, the scenes fascinating, the acting excellent, the subplots intriguing. I was turned-on sexually by this film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KarenG.

Nov 20, 2006

Awesome movie, very provocative & erotic, on the level of "Wild Orchid"

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JoshD.

Dec 5, 2006

This movie was amazing, dark, and twisted. And it was SO beautifully done. A+.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

FrankJ.

Apr 2, 2007

I enjoyed Mirren and Gooding and while preposterous in its twists, the movie held my interest and entertained despite its gratuitous violence. How many close up homicides are necessary to maintain audience interest? How many butt shots of Gooding are necessary to make a point? Hollywood I enjoyed Mirren and Gooding and while preposterous in its twists, the movie held my interest and entertained despite its gratuitous violence. How many close up homicides are necessary to maintain audience interest? How many butt shots of Gooding are necessary to make a point? Hollywood does not let us down again with its insistence upon redundancy and hit you over the head subtlety. Tinseltown just may never overcome its compulsion to play down to its audience. So they need to balance this insulting direction with casting a Helen Mirren.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

jp992751

Jan 25, 2011

Whoever cast this needs to find a new job. Helen Mirren as a serial killer? Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a doctor? Mo'Nique as his girlfriend? With all the names popping up on the screen you would figure that the movie would have to be good otherwise why would these actors have signed on, right?Whoever cast this needs to find a new job. Helen Mirren as a serial killer? Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a doctor? Mo'Nique as his girlfriend? With all the names popping up on the screen you would figure that the movie would have to be good otherwise why would these actors have signed on, right? Wrong. As stated the casting was way off, the odd story which includes Gooding and Mirren as step-son and mother-in-law in a relationship with each other just doesn't work. Cuba can act we have all seen it but in Shadowboxer he felt stale and out of place. Not much good I can say about this so I will just end it there.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SeanJ

Dec 11, 2006

Those rating it high must be ringers for the distributors - this was trash. Outside of a couple of tepid chuckles at a sex scene in a doctor's office, the look on our faces was boredom. Other sex scenes were contrived, a pointless plot and the second female lead was trying too hard to Those rating it high must be ringers for the distributors - this was trash. Outside of a couple of tepid chuckles at a sex scene in a doctor's office, the look on our faces was boredom. Other sex scenes were contrived, a pointless plot and the second female lead was trying too hard to look like Angelina Jolie--don't waste your time - rent/buy/download something else. Anyone's life is more precious than spending it on this dreck.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

HaikazG.

Jul 24, 2006

This film is more of an elaborate set of symptoms than an actual movie. It is not enough to say that it is unitentionally funny (because the fillmaker is so un-selfaware) or distubingly gruesome (because the fillmaker makes us wallow in his anal-sadistic fantasy) it is neccessary to say This film is more of an elaborate set of symptoms than an actual movie. It is not enough to say that it is unitentionally funny (because the fillmaker is so un-selfaware) or distubingly gruesome (because the fillmaker makes us wallow in his anal-sadistic fantasy) it is neccessary to say that an industry that allows something as puerile and hateful as this to be made with some gifted actors and first-rate technical people has its steering mechanism broken. Why was this sick man allowed to make a movie? How did he find the money and obtain the cooperation of so many otherwise seemigly sensible people? Why didn't anyone stop him? [***SPOILERS***] The two most ridiculous scenes: 1) Vanessa Ferlito's water breaking. 2) The tough-guy banter between the male models who guard her.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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