First Match

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1:56

First Match

2018

1h 42m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Hardened by years in foster care, a teenage girl from Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood decides that joining the all-boys wrestling team is the only way back to her estranged father.

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Glenn Kenny

New York Times

05/08/2018

Ms. Emanuelle's performance as Mo is certainly spectacular, but I don't think I've seen better screen acting in 2018 than Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's work as Darrel.

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John DeFore

The Hollywood Reporter

04/06/2018

Given a handful of fine performances, it's pretty easy to overlook the familiarity of the sports-drama beats to come.

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Kimber Myers

Los Angeles Times

03/30/2018

[Newman] tells an unvarnished story that grapples with the complexity of father-daughter relationships and the desperation of feeling like you have no choices.

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Annlee Ellingson

CineWomen

07/28/2024

First Match is a confident, sensitive debut in a gritty, real milieu that’s worth seeking out.

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Megan Purdy

Ms En Scene

02/06/2020

First Match is an emotionally complex coming-of-age story.

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Rob Thomas

Capital Times (Madison, WI)

04/13/2018

Elvyre Emanuelle has a breakout performance as Monique.

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Apr 2

Very dark & gritty with performances so heartfelt and convincing that I could not look away. Deserving of an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress IMO.

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m j

12/29/2021

Way better then I was thinking it was going to be.

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11/28/2018

Excellent movie! Acting and screnework is so good it seems like an authentic documentary, forgot I was watching a movie at times! Every character well played and casted. AWESOME MOVIE

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06/18/2018

[Yahya] Abdul-Mateen ll is excellent in the role of this self-serving, ill-equipped parent, but this movie belongs to [Elvire] Emanuelle, who is clearly a star in the making. As a platform for a pair of incredibly exciting new talents, one behind the camera and one in front of it, First Match is a winner.

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05/08/2018

Beautiful story about conquering hardship.

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04/25/2018

This movie made me laugh and cry. It showed the love that a girl had for her father runs deep. I loved it

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Olivia Newman

Director

Elvire Emanuelle

Monique

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Darrel

Colman Domingo

Coach Castle

Jharrel Jerome

Omari

Kim Ramirez

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First Match: Trailer 1

1:56

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Synopsis

Hardened by years in foster care, a teenage girl from Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood decides that joining the all-boys wrestling team is the only way back to her estranged father.

Director: Olivia Newman
Producer: Chanelle Elaine, Veronica Nickel, Bryan Unkeless
Screenwriter: Olivia Newman
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 30, 2018
Runtime: 1h 42m

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