Swing bouts are impromptu boxing matches that fill a gap in the schedule if there is an early knockout.
Maurice O’Carroll’s exhilarating film of the same name charts the behind-the-scenes intrigues of a big fight night as four female boxers pace anxiously in the changing rooms waiting for a potential opportunity to fight. It’s propulsive ensemble drama with various crime elements ducking and weaving in and out of the match preparations while the people in and out of the ring prepare for nights that might well change their lives. Swing Bout originally screened at Dublin International Film Festival and, ahead of its theatrical release in Ireland later this month, it received its international premiere at Oldenburg Film Festival.
The story follows a whole range of people involved in swing bouts but its protagonist is ‘Terrible’ Toni (Ciara Berkley), a British fighter whose past as a thief has given her a bad reputation. She’s aiming to turn things around with her trainer, Emma (Sinead O’Riordan), in a bout with the hot young prospect making her pro-debut ,‘Vicious’ Vicki (Chrissie Cronin). Their fight is one that has the interest of the Casey brothers, Micko (Frank Prendergast) and Jack (Ben Condron) who want Toni to take a dive in the second round to give Vicki a winning start. There are €10,000 on the line if she does, but Toni’s currently unbeaten record would be ruined. Elsewhere a couple of other fighters keep squaring up in the changing rooms, Jack is on a constant quest for a top-up of cocaine and Micko is expecting an ominous visit from the Garde.
If all of that sounds like a lot is going on, that’s just the half of it. Swing Bout’s screenplay – written by O’Carroll – is packed full of minor narratives, and minute aggressions and the fact that everything is so well balanced and paced is to his absolute credit. There are perhaps a dozen storylines interweaving here but they never feel confusing and, more impressively, none of them feel underserved – from a very serious situation involving an abducted local man that police suspect Micko of having orchestrated or the moral quandary facing Toni about her prospects, to Emma and her husband’s financial difficulties or another boxer, Flann (Baz Black) who hasn’t fought in 18 months and has been consigned to YouTube commentary, much to his chagrin.
The deft handling of these storylines is one thing, but what is also so impressive about the film is how the characters feel equally well-served. As a very low-budget production, there was barely time to rehearse but the whole cast, regardless of role size, evidently poured a lot into their characters and it comes across throughout. O’Carroll’s script allows almost every individual, even those who seem to be aggressive coke-addicts or amoral criminals, a moment of empathy. Swing Bout cares about all of its characters, even those who do deplorable things, and allows its audience to as well. Whether that is Toni’s consternation at being asked to throw a fight when she knows she’s good enough to win it, her bubbling anger aided by a recurring motivation by gravel-voiced guru (voiced by John Connors) that she listens to in her noise cancelling headphones. His line that opens the film – “The one who looks outside dreams, the one who looks inside wakes… so wakey, wakey motherfucker!” – gives a good sense of his, and the film’s, tone. A fantastic scene shows the bolshy show-off Vicki confiding her apprehension about her first fight to her alcoholic father, Bomber (Johnny Elliot) who, unexpectedly, steps up with some profound life advice. While Micko, the callous mastermind of various underhand endeavours is constantly on the brink of tears after being left that afternoon by his wife.
All of this is brought together by some impeccable filmmaking that utilises its low budget to its fullest potential. The action is confined to the backrooms and changing facilities of the area, never venturing out into the ring itself, but dynamic camerawork from Mark O’Rourke and a clever audio-conceit of pumping the commentary from the bouts into the soundscape brings allows for the action to feel ever-present. This might be a boxing movie that features precious little on-screen boxing, but there a still scenes that evoke the brutal back-and-forth of the ring both visually and sonically. Swing Bout is less about the brawl itself and more the blows that are landed around the edges of ring – about what it means to master your fear, to stake your claim, to forge your own path. It’s a knockout.
Director, screenplay, editing: Maurice O’Carroll
Cast: Ciara Berkeley, Sinead O’Riordan, Ben Condron, Frank Prendergast, Chrissie Cronin
Producer: Sinead O’Riordan
Cinematography: Mark O’Rourke
Production design: Darren O’Mahony
Sound: Robert O’Halloran, Danilo Zambrano
Production company: ORion Productions
Venue: Oldenburg Film Festival
In English
90 minutes
