Jungleland has the setup of a pretty straightforward underdog sports movie. Two brothers, one of them being a boxer, are going on the road to the big fight that will get them out of debt and on the line to reaching the prosperity that they have been working towards for many years. However, the texture, the characters, the minutiae of its plotting, it is rooted less in the sport movies that you might find comparable, and more to stories about crime, about poverty, about the relationship between two brothers that is continuously tested by their ability – or lack thereof – to make the best out of whatever situation they find themselves in.
The two brothers in this case are Stanley (Charlie Hunnam) and Walter Kaminski (Jack O’Connell). Walter is the boxer, typically referred to as “Lion” by his brother, who acts as his manager. The problem with Stanley is that he’s found himself in debt with some bad guys, and constantly makes decisions that Lion isn’t totally comfortable with. After a fight, the brothers are given a chance by Pepper (Jonathan Majors) to pay off their remaining debt by going to a bare-knuckle match in San Francisco and drop off a young lady, Sky (Jessica Barden) at Reno, Nevada during their journey.
The film is directed by Max Winkler, who also co-wrote the film with Theodore B. Bressman and David Branson Smith. He’s made two films prior to this, his first film being Ceremony and the other being Flower. I’ve only seen Flower, and it’s a film that I didn’t end up liking all that much, but found a lot to admire, especially in how Winkler was willing to go to some strange, dark places. Jungleland doesn’t take any kind of weird swing like Flower did, but in telling a story that is a bit more simple – though, less forgiving folks might call it cliché – I think he really showcases his strengths in a strong way.
The strongest aspect of the film are the characters, not just in how well they’re drawn on the page, but also in how the performers bring them to life. Obviously, if you’ve seen films like Warrior or The Fighter, you can get an idea of the kind of the kind of relationship we have with these brothers, and it’s interesting to see how having this woman, who Lion begins to develop feelings for, begins to show Lion just how much his brother has been using, controlling, and manipulating him for so much of his life.
The actors are all great here. Jack O’Connell is great as the weathered man who believes in his brother, but is also trying to suppress these feelings that he ultimately isn’t setting him on the right path. Jessica Barden has a fascinating presence that makes a strong impression even in the early moments where she doesn’t talk much, and her dynamic with Lion adds a lot to the emotional core of the film. However, the real star of the picture is Charlie Hunnam, who plays against type as this guy who clearly has his heart in the right place, but lacks the smarts and impulse control to do right by his brother. It’s undoubtedly career best work from him.
While some may think of films I mentioned like Warrior and The Fighter, I was reminded more of the kind of boxing melodramas from the late 30s to early 50s that incorporated some crime element to the plot – stuff like The Pittsburgh Kid, Killer McCoy, Body And Soul, The Set-Up, and Champ For A Day. Jungleland feels like a modern take on these kinds of films, combining those motifs and characters with the grit and melancholy of a 70s picture.
Jungleland is a slow but compelling build, and it ends on an emotional wallop set to a terrific needle drop of Bruce Springsteen’s cover of Suicide’s “Dream Baby Dream.” It’s at times bleak, brutal, sad, but it stays thoroughly human, which is where it matters the most. I was really impressed with how Max Winkler handled this, especially following up Flower. I also can’t go without noting Lorne Balfe’s score, which is populated with soft horns and strings, which initially sound rousing, but takes a turn for the intimate. Though aspects of it may be familiar, the filmmaking and the performances breathe new life into these archetypes and character dynamics that we’ve seen before. It’s engrossing and deeply moving, and one that I can see myself thinking about and revisiting in the future.
Jungleland is now out on VOD platforms.