Shadowboxer

R

2005

1h 33m

Mystery & Thriller

List

17%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

38%

Audience Score

50,000+ Ratings

Rose (Helen Mirren) is a highly efficient contract killer, and her stepson, Mikey (Cuba Gooding Jr.), shares her profession and her bed. Learning she has terminal cancer, she determines to carry out one last hit, but her plans go awry when she discovers her next target is her latest employer's (Stephen Dorff) pregnant wife (Vanessa Ferlito).

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Critics Consensus

With random characters and a preposterous plot, this bizarre thriller might leave you with your mouth hanging open in disbelief.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Cuba Gooding Jr. continues his sad descent from Oscar-winning actor (Jerry Maguire) to walking punch line with this absurd drama...

Jul 13, 2022

Full Review

Amy Nicholson

I.E. Weekly

Aaron Spelling may be slapping his forehead, but a few cemetary plots over, 1950's melodrama king Douglas Sirk is smiling.

Rated: C

Feb 1, 2009

Full Review

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Thumbs down to a movie of such vile and violent temper.

Rated: 1.5/4

Aug 25, 2006

Full Review

Alberto Abuín

Espinof

Show off and almost absurd scenes result in a lazy movie. [Full Review in Spanish]

Feb 15, 2020

Full Review

Mieka Strawhorn

Pajiba

The movie is bad, y'all. Like real bad. But, I still find a number of reasons to recommend it.

Aug 3, 2018

Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

The raw materials for a gutsy, gritty, fearless, fascinating thriller are here, but they amount to some intriguing individual parts and not a satisfying, cohesive whole.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 26, 2007

Full Review

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c v

That Lee Daniels madness ! Of course this had to open with a woman getting rocked. "Shadowboxer" is about just becoming that in the shadows that overtake life and become cycles. There was bad decisions made in the film, such as Rose not delivering the baby and dropping it off at a fire station as opposed to saving her hit. Or the fact that Rose ended up killing Cuba's character's father (deliberately)£ and mother (inadvertantly) and walked around making love to the man she made an orphan. Rose was possibly the biggest villain in the entire film, but the way Mirren portrays her with her patented charm one can only walk away with that realization and be glad while the film is running that she's getting dug out on her deathbed while Nas & Eminem play in the background. Rape at the beginning, illegitimate children, yeah this is a Daniel's movie but it breathes the spirit of an action thriller so it's hard to tell. Shadowboxer is an overlooked gem filled with action, hip-hop, and a top tier cast delivering a message to overcome the animalistic nature of trauma found in all human cycles while the guns blaze in the background. - Audiomack.com/cvrthebard

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

georgan g

Quite a bizarre plot with plenty of action. Violence being passed to the next generation is at least honest.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Brutal violence and too long....

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I really enjoyed this film, and can't see why it got so low ratings

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

william s

A movie this bad with these two fine actors in it truly is almost impossible to make.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Inane plot without a laugh track.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

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Lee Daniels

Director

Helen Mirren

Rose

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Mikey

Stephen Dorff

Clayton

Vanessa Ferlito

Vickie

Mo'Nique

Precious

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Synopsis

Rose (Helen Mirren) is a highly efficient contract killer, and her stepson, Mikey (Cuba Gooding Jr.), shares her profession and her bed. Learning she has terminal cancer, she determines to carry out one last hit, but her plans go awry when she discovers her next target is her latest employer's (Stephen Dorff) pregnant wife (Vanessa Ferlito).

Director: Lee Daniels
Producer: Lee Daniels, Damon Dash, Lisa Cortes, Brook Lenfest, David Robinson
Screenwriter: Will Rokos
Production Co: Lee Daniels Entertainment
Rating: R (Some Drug Use|Nudity|Language|Strong Graphic Sexuality|Strong Graphic Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 21, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 5, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $370.6K
Runtime: 1h 33m

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