--- title: "The Boxer: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-boxer/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-boxer" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 9 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." --- # The Boxer (1997): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 9 reviews: 5 positive, 4 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews lean warm, and nobody dislikes it. Most critics praise Daniel Day-Lewis above all, for a restrained and committed performance that holds the film together, and Emily Watson is given credit for matching him. The other point of agreement is the handling of the politics: critics find Jim Sheridan even-handed, unsentimental about the IRA and the splits within it, and careful not to turn the film into a lecture. Several call it moving; one calls it courageous. The reservations are about how conventional it is. Radio Times finds the drama admirable but familiar, and Variety calls it involving but prosaic, with the central romance underwritten. Total Film thinks the boxing itself is the least convincing part, and Empire objects to Sheridan’s shorthand direction and a message that ends up too cosy. The spread is narrow, from respectful three-star notices to outright enthusiasm, and the warmest reviews come from critics writing some years after release. ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 2002. Phipps finds the film thoroughly engrossing and praises how it avoids becoming heavy-handed or one-sided. He singles out Day-Lewis and Watson’s quietly fiery performances and the story’s depth and complexity. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-boxer-1798196391) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 4/5. 20 February 1998. The review calls the film intelligent, moving, and masterfully told, praising its balanced portrayal of a society struggling with change. It singles out Daniel Day-Lewis’s restrained performance and the interwoven love story, while finding the boxing scenes less convincing. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-boxer-review/) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. Nathan finds the film powerful and resonant despite Sheridan’s shorthand direction and overly cosy message. He particularly praises the performances and the unforgettable scene of Liam at the army cordon. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/boxer-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 3/4. 16 January 1998. Ebert gives the film a positive but measured assessment. He singles out the performances and the restrained handling of its political and personal conflicts. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-boxer-1998) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1997. The headline frames the film as seeking hope amid Ulster’s suffering. The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/31/movies/film-review-the-boxer-seeks-hope-amid-ulster-s-suffering.html) ## Time Out — GA Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The available page identifies this as a review but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its metadata describes Flynn’s return to Belfast after prison and the hostility he faces. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-boxer-1) ## Radio Times — Tom Hutchinson Rating 3/5. The critic calls the drama admirable but rather conventional. Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance is singled out as its highlight. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-jmudas/the-boxer/) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 1997. McCarthy finds the film involving but prosaic, with enough punch to hold audience interest. He praises its vivid depiction of divisions within the IRA, while criticizing the underdeveloped central romance. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/the-boxer-1200452197/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic strongly praises the film’s courageous, unsentimental portrayal of Northern Ireland’s conflict. They single out Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance as especially committed and emotionally powerful. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-boxer-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © 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/the-boxer.md