The Kid (2002)
Jimmy Albright is a young athlete with a passion for boxing. His mentor, Harry Sloan, an aging trainer and former boxer, sees Jimmy's potential, not only as a boxer but as a young man. With Harry's guidance, Jimmy trains and fights his way to the top of his division. All things appear to be on track, except for one small twist: Jimmy's parents, Don and Doreen, don't know he's a boxer...
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Great Film overall
Brilliant and touching
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
The Kid looks at the usual teen issues: Peer pressure, guardian limits on independence, and finding something to be good at. This may be the main theme: Craving an adult role model. "Jimmy," has a father: In real life, most boys wait listed for a Big Brother role model won't get one. So many boxing movies appear the same, because their stories are always similar. Puberty and bullying aren't original either. "Jason," mentions boxing's safer than hockey - true for legit youth boxing clubs. "Jimmy," hits pay dirt, with an encouraging mentor who believes in him. Boxing's aerobic/mental demands contrast with Jimmy's home life: A denial of maturity & little boost to self-esteem. The Kid is a made in Canada product. You can see the social culture influence, and restrictions placed on the making of this movie. There are no doubts what the characters are about. Movies similar in theme are: Youngblood and Billy Elliott. Was this originally meant to be a made for TV movie? It's how I watched it. My understanding is Disney is (now?) involved somehow, so obviously there aren't any blood and guts. It was enjoyable to watch a Cdn spin on timeless stories. To delve any further than that, try a documentary or biography channel.
Unique movie about a kid with his dreams of boxing, and the measures he takes to fulfill the dream despite his parents banning boxing. It gets you attached not only to "the kid" but to his good buddies and trainers Harry and Cappy. Good plot and storyline, 2 thumbs up to the creators and actors/actresses. I give it 9.4 out of 10.