A Fighting Man

Summary

Sailor O'Connor (Purcell) is a retired Irish boxer, who has not once been knocked down in the 63 matches he's fought. O'Connor's mother Rose (McCarthy) is dying of cancer and Sailor wants to take her to Ireland one last time before she passes. After negotiating with Fast Eddie (Beach), a local promoter, Sailor secures enough money whether or not he wins. Though a long way from his prime, Sailor convinces his old training team Brother Albright and Max (Caan and Ironside) to get into shape for the bout against a younger opponent. A local priest, Father Brennan (Coates), tries to convince Rose to have Sailor back out of the fight, to which she says it's up to him to leave.

King Solomon (Smith) is a young upcoming boxer, seeking to earn a way out of the life he's currently in. His girlfriend Peg (Grant) tells him she's pregnant and Solomon wants to live a life with her. Quitting his life as an adult film actor, Solomon comes back to his old boxing coach (Gossett Jr.) and promises to stick with it and begins his training for the fight with Sailor. Solomon's mother, a drug user and alcoholic, cannot cope with her son's wanting to leave, and like his father, believes he will be back.

Leading up to the fight, Sailor, Rose, Solomon, Father Brennan, and Diane Scheuler (Janssen), a recovering alcoholic, all attempt to overcome their demons. Diane attempts to ask Sailor several times for forgiveness for what she did to Sailor, and each time he rebuffs her. As the fight commences, both fighters do not show signs of giving up out of either stubbornness or motivation. As the final round comes to open, Fast Eddie offers up a large sum of money for either man to call it quits right then and there. Neither take it up on the offer and continue the fight. When the final seconds and punches hit, Sailor remembers his tragedy in which Diane killed Sailor's wife and children in a drunk driving accident. Never knocked down and refusing to give up, Sailor stays up as the last round closes, and the two boxers congratulate each other. King Solomon is declared the winner of the bout and each man heads to the locker room. As Diane passes by Sailor, he tells her that there may be a way that he may forgive her some time in the future.

Cast

(In alphabetical order)

Filming

Filming started in April 2013 and took place in Sudbury, and Toronto, Canada.