Fight

Gr 9 Up—This well-meaning but unsatisfying documentary follows two indigenous Canadian teens from Winnipeg. Rene Catcheway lives on his own and is failing most of his high school classes, while Melvin Delorme tries to overcome his mother's misguided behaviors. She's a heavy drinker and brings "all sorts of guys" to their home. Rene and Melvin lack academic achievement and self-discipline before they hook up with a slightly built boxing coach, Randy Baleski. Baleski's goal is to instill rigorous training habits and a future vision in Native teens attending the high school where he teaches. His mentorship might help these young men box their way out of trouble, as the sport requires serious training and dedication, plus a way to vent frustrations in an acceptable way. The story attempts to develop sympathy for the youth, but it misses the mark, leaving viewers without an uplifting conclusion. The glimpse of the boys' reservation life is too slight to observe a positive outcome or even to find out if they had completed their schooling. Where does the boxing discipline actually lead? Viewers are left to guess.—Robin Levin, Fort Washakie School/Community Library, WY