Fighting doesn’t break new ground so much as animate B-movie types, but New York movies this gritty and flavorful don't come along very often.
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
I like the way the personalities are allowed to upstage the plot in Fighting, a routine three-act fight story that creates uncommonly interesting characters.
75
Premiere
Premiere
Fighting is a fun, frank and faithful homage to simple inner-city drama.
60
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
In Channing Tatum, who also starred in "Saints," the film has a good-looking, magnetic hunk to draw a crowd. Terrence Howard lends the pedigree of great screen acting, and Zulay Henao adds charm and glamour.
50
Variety
Variety
For all the utter phoniness of Fighting -- the cockeyed, faux-verite shooting, the lurches in storytelling, the lack of character development, a contrived crisis between Shawn and his would-be girlfriend Zulay and Tatum's dopey-charming thing--Fighting's not so bad.
50
Charlotte Observer
Charlotte Observer
The director plays a visual game of three card monte on us for this silly, weakly acted and yet sometimes entertaining variation on the “Big Fight” movie formula.
42
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Murderously dull stretches of dialogue suck most of the fun out of this sloppy drama.
40
Village Voice
Village Voice
The movie never works up a pulpy head of steam. It's like an exploitation movie that thinks it's an art movie, only there's no art to be found.
40
Washington Post
Washington Post
Fighting isn't very good, but it will make you hope that someday, some great director will give Tatum's pecs the star vehicle they deserve.