--- title: "Jawbone: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/jawbone/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/jawbone" critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jawbone (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 68 from 10 reviews: 7 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics come away warm. Seven of the ten are positive, and the praise clusters on Johnny Harris, whose lead performance is called commanding, fully committed and emotionally layered; several note he drew on his own past. The camerawork comes second, with the final fight singled out more than once. A few critics add that the film works better as a study of a man drinking himself to the bottom than as a boxing picture, and credit it for refusing an easy ending. The reservations are about the story. Several find the redemption arc predictable and the plot thin, and one or two call the film uneven. The spread is narrow, most scores sitting in a tight band, with two dissenters: Radio Times finds Harris less compelling than his supporting cast, and Eye for Film, reviewing much later, finds it low on energy and short of anything distinctive, while still rating Harris in the ring. ## Empire — Olly Richards Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 May 2017. Richards finds the film painful but deeply worthwhile, calling it an extremely promising debut. He especially praises Johnny Harris’s commanding lead performance and the confidence with which he carries the film. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/jawbone-review/) ## Little White Lies — Phil Concannon Rating 3/4/4. 11 May 2017. Concannon finds the film powerful as a portrait of alcoholism, though less distinctive as a boxing drama. He praises Johnny Harris’s emotionally layered performance and the intimate details drawn from the actor’s own experiences. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/jawbone) ## Total Film — Kevin Harley Rating 4/5. 8 May 2017. Harley finds the film a vigorous and emotionally affecting boxing drama, avoiding easy catharsis. He praises Johnny Harris’s fully committed performance and the expressive cinematography that frames it. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/jawbone-review/) ## Screen Daily — Charles Gant Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 May 2017. The review presents the film as a nimble, engaging drama. It singles out its down-for-the-count boxer’s pursuit of one last win. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/jawbone-review/5115316.article) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2017. Bradshaw finds the drama heartfelt and watchable, though he wanted more plot development. He praises Johnny Harris’s powerful commitment and the film’s convincing sense of physical reality. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/10/jawbone-review-johnny-harris-boxing) ## Radio Times — Karen Krizanovich Rating 3/5. The review sees the drama as an honest but predictable take on a familiar subject. It praises the dynamic camerawork, while finding Johnny Harris less compelling than the supporting cast. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-4pwr89/jawbone/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 3/5. 7 May 2017. The printed three-star rating suggests a measured response. The available text notes that Johnny Harris drew on his own experience as a homeless ex-boxer, but does not reveal what the critic singled out for praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/jawbone) ## HeyUGuys — Lily Taylor Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds Jawbone a solid, well-made boxing drama that falls short of being spectacular. She praises its darker take on the familiar redemption story and the immersive camerawork in its final fight. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/jawbone-review/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds the film a compelling, if occasionally uneven, story of redemption. It praises the early scenes for building a detailed portrait of Jimmy and his struggles. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/jawbone-film-review-2069228) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 18 February 2018. Kermode finds the film low on energy and lacking anything distinctive, despite its capable central performance. She singles out Johnny Harris for shining in the lead role and impressing in the boxing scenes. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/jawbone-2017-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/jawbone.md