Watches
June 10, 2023
Based on an actual murder case. The Sparring Partner could've been an amazing neo-noir (like Limbo), but it mixes in a lot of courtroom drama, which messes up the pacing of the film (and adds to the runtime unnecessarily). My hopes were a little higher going in, but Ho Cheuk-Tin shows he has potential.
Henry murders and dismembers his parents, with the help of his friend Angus. He concocts a story to clear his name, but the police find evidence to bring him to court. Henry and Angus plead not guilty, and it's up to the jury to find out who is lying. Ony, with every new witness that comes to the stand, the case becomes more confusing.
The murders are gruesome, the two lead characters are terrific and the way the case unravels is pretty interesting. It's just the "12 Angry Men"-like interludes that drag the film down. A more refined genre mix and a little more bravery on the cutting floor might've turned this into a future classic.