Lacking punch

>> Price of Glory is a boxing family melodrama that's on the ropes

By MATTHEW HAYS

All eyes are on Jimmy Smits, the actor who left his highly-rated gig on NYPD Blue to make more time for a career in motion pictures. It's a risky move, for sure--remember David Caruso? Thus Smits' first film since leaving, Price of Glory, is a feature he's placed a rather large ante on.

And Smits takes a degree of risk with the film, playing a not-entirely-sympathetic father figure. Once a promising boxer, Smits could have been a contender, but an unscrupulous manager worked him out of his chance by booking him with an experienced fighter he simply wasn't ready for. Twenty years later, Smits swears he won't make the same mistake with his sons, all of whom he's training (quite brutally) to become winning boxers. Though Smits clearly wants his sons to succeed, it's also clear they aren't really enjoying all that pummelling, and that this can hardly be considered very thoughtful parenting.

The film's screenplay boasts an important cred; penned by former New York Times sports columnist Phil Berger, one can see the film has been informed by a solid knowledge of the sport. And Smits and fellow cast members bring the clan to life well.

But for all of its aura of authenticity, Berger's screenplay suffers from a rather glaring contradiction. Let's call it Saving Private Ryan syndrome; while that film claimed anti-war-statement status, its conclusion was ludicrously patriotic and ultimately seemed to glorify war. Similarly, while Price of Glory appears to want to condemn Smits' character's blind ambition, the film's victorious finale--one which is obviously supposed to inspire audience cheers--appears to justify his nasty drive and rather base parental tactics.

Worse still, Price of Glory aptly reflects Smits' TV pedigree; the whole thing feels very, very made-for-TV, movie-of-the-week. Though some of the fight scenes are gripping and the performances meritorious, the film does give one pause to question Smits' risky career shift, from small to big screen (and after his highly-rated death episode, there ain't no goin' back to Blue). One can only hope he had the good sense to max out his RRSP investments before bailing on his regular TV gig.

Price of Glory opens Friday, April 7