Out of Bounds

Nominated for the Golden Leopard at the 2007 Locarno International Film Festival and Winner of Silver Leopard Best Actor (Michele Venitucci), at the 2007 Locarno International Film Festival, ‘Out of Bounds’ gives a brutal account of the illegal fight clubs in North-Eastern Italy.

A 30-something hot blooded fighter Mike (Michele Venitucci) dreams to make it big as a profession boxer. He enters the fray against his sister Anna’s (Maya Sansa) wishes, without knowing how far he has to undergo the pain and unknown dangers. Initial success makes him a favourite but when he tries to get out of the illegal fistfights, a new gameplan which he had never imagined must be conquered first.

There is no doubt that Italian director Fulvio Bernasconi is brilliant but his scripting of this interesting tale of struggle is a disappointment to a certain extent.

The bitter story lacks the punchline it needed. The spirit of survival barely manages to crawl out of the shady warehouse where the gruesome fights are shot.

The spark between the brother-sister duo also provides a second thought on their relationship. It is too ambiguous to figure out what really goes on between them.
The cliched script, the stereotypes in portraying the villains and the lack of a hard-hitting climax are definitely a setback had it not been for the excellent performance of Venitucci. All in all, ‘Out of Bounds’ is a safe bet but don’t expect too much in return.
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Out of Bounds
Italian (A) with English subtitles
Cast: Michele Venitucci, Maya Sansa, Juan Pablo Ogalde, Vili Matula, Claudio Misculin
Director: Fulvio Bernasconi