Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe Calcium Kid (2003)
Director: Alex de Rakoff
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
When British contender Pete Wright (Hassan) is KO'd from a title fight with world champ Jose Mendes (Peña), dodgy boxing manager Herbie Bush (Djalili) decides to shove unknown milkman Jimmy Connelly (Bloom) into the ring. This mock-doc Rocky starts punchily enough with Snatch-style jab'n'jump-cuts and authentic South London settings, then proceeds at milk-van pace, as first time director de Rakoff milks every cliché in the cowshed. The characters are cartoonish and, with few exceptions, unengaging. Jimmy has a punchable gormless naivety that makes Norman Wisdom look like a meatpacking pimp. Billie Piper's role as the love interest is skimmed back to just four lines, though her famously large teeth are a terrific testimonial to the former Milk Marketing Board, for which this is a gold-top-tastic advert.Author: LIZ
Cast & crew
Director: Alex de Rakoff
Producer: Natascha Wharton
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Omid Djalili, Michael Lerner, Michael Peña, Tamer Hassan, Rafe Spall, Mark Heap, Frank Harper, Lyndsey Marshal, David Kelly, Billie Piper, Ronni Ancona full cast
Duration: 89 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now