Underdog (2019)


REVIEWER RATING: 
7/10

DIRECTOR:

CAST:


One quick glimpse at Underdog, and the first reaction could be “it’s about a troubled girl who becomes a fighter and lives happily ever after.”  Hmmm…not quite.

After the gruesome murder of her mother while prostituting to score drugs for Sam’s father, young Sam Miller is immediately separated from her brother Bobby and sent into the foster care system which destroys any semblance of a normal upbringing. While bouncing from one abusive home to the next and living in constant fear, Sam ultimately follows in the footsteps of her parents, turning to crime and drugs.

Underdog is not a typical horror film, though it brings about the horrors of street life, addiction, abuse and the aching need for redemption.

As Sam finally undergoes detox and self-preservation, she reconnects with her brother and finds the perfect outlet for her hardships – fighting.

This gritty drama meshes the world between victim of circumstance and ultimate recovery. The struggles are exemplified with each new successful attempt by Sam to do the right thing. Becca Buckalew is relatable as the tough talking, distrusting junkie who was thrown into this miserable life from an early age. Survival is all she knows, and Buckalew delivers the painful memories in dreadful flashing moments.

Once Sam becomes the star pupil of trainer Donovan (Kim Estes), her life begins to see light and guidance again. Donovan is the “Mickey” to Sam’s “Rocky Balboa”…the underdog. They share anguish from past battles and overcome their demons through dedication and loyalty. Estes is uplifting, even when he falls and compounds his failures into a more positive outlook by forgiving himself.

As always, a small but standout performance leaps onto the screen with Daniel de Weldon’s role as DJ, the wise-ass, gun wielding drug dealer who believes anything can be resolved with a wad of cash or goods. It’s another stellar appearance that provides shock, fear and comedic dialect. Amazing!

Although Underdog is short on blood outside of the cage fights, the drug use and emotional turmoil is enough to be an important piece of disturbing cinema along the levels of Rush or The Basketball Diaries.

OVERALL: 
It’s a terrible feeling to find yourself dangling without a net, due to someone else’s poor decision making. What affects one, affects many…thus is part of the theme in Underdog. Sam was dealt a dismal hand as a child. It becomes her responsibility to claw her way out from the addictive ways bestowed upon her and find the strength to her own ascension. Underdog is proof that you can overcome the worst, despite the odds stacked against you.


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