Joe PesciandMichael Pittare father and son in a new clip fromDay of the Fight. The boxing drama, which was directed byJack Huston, is an extended homage to an earlyStanley Kubrickfilm of the same name. The film is opening in limited release in New York and Los Angeles today, with a wide release to follow next week.
In the clip, Pitt plays Mike Flannigan, a boxer who’s just been released from prison, and is set to contend in his first post-release fight that evening. The film follows him as he goes about his daily rounds, preparing for the bout that could get his life back on track. One of those errands is a visit to his father, Tony (Pesci), who is living in a nursing home. Tony is suffering from some form of dementia that has left him unable to speak, but Mike has brought a memento for him; a record from Tony’s singing career. As he plays “If I Ever Lost You” - a track actually sung by Pesci, whose show-business career began as a singer, on his 2019 albumStill Singing- the two men share a moment before Mike departs.
Who Is Joe Pesci?
Born and raised in New Jersey, Pesci worked as a musician and a comedian before making his acting debut in the low-budget crime filmThe Death Collector, which brought him toMartin Scorsese’s attention. Scorsese cast him as the long-sufferingJoey LaMottainRaging Bull, earning him an Oscar nomination. Pesci went on to star as a variety of shady and hot-tempered characters, including underworld procurer Leo Getz in theLethal Weaponseries, conspiratorDavid FerrieinJFK, aspiring lawyer Vincent Gambini inMy Cousin Vinny, incompetent burglar Harry in theHome Alonemovies, and volcanic gangster Tommy DeVito inGoodfellas, which earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Pesci largely retired from acting after the 1990s. He has made scattered appearances since then, cameoing inRobert De Niro’s directorial debutThe Good Shepherd, and appearing in Scorsese’s underworld epicThe Irishman; the latter earned him his third Oscar nomination. Last year, he starred alongsidePete DavidsonandEdie Falcoin the seriesBupkis.
The directorial debut of actor Jack Huston, who acted alongside Pitt inBoardwalk Empire,Day of the Fightalso starsJohn Magaroas Mike’s boyhood friend, now a priest;Steve Buscemias Mike’s uncle;Ron Perlmanas Mike’s longtime trainer; andNicolette Robinsonas Mike’s ex-wife. The film homagesDay of the Fight, a 1951 documentary short directed by Stanley Kubrick that followedWalter Cartieras he prepared for a middleweight bout.
Day of the Fightcan be seen in theaters in New York and Los Angeles starting today; a wide release will follow next week. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch the new clip ofDay of the Fightin the player above.
Day of the Fight
Day of the Fight follows a former renowned boxer as he navigates a journey of redemption through his past and present on the day of his first fight since being released from prison.
