by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
B+ Rated R 99 min
Writer director, David Mamet is into the macho man X-Games fad and wanted to write a screenplay about the rising popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). But, as Mamet-philes know, he's also into the psychological games people play with one another and how the resulting consequences often spin out of control. Thus, by combining these two powerful story elements, Mamet has created an intriguing scenario that comprises Redbelt. Mamet used his repertory stable of actors, including Chiwelel Ejiofor, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, Joe Mantagna, Rebecca Pidgeon, David Paymer, and odd outsider, Tim Allen to act out his script.
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry a champion jiu-jitsu martial artist who runs a studio in L.A. with his wife Sondra (Alice Braga) Terry is a purist and does not believe in competition. He follows the Samurai code. He believes that competition weakens the fighter's spirit. To Terry, honor is everything. Of course, he lives in the real world and his wife pays the bills. Terry doesn't concern himself with these matters and his wife, Sondra is frustrated with him for not being more aggressive in bringing in new business.
When a stranger Laura Black (Emily Mortimer) enters the studio one rainy night, Terry asks her if he can help her. She's hysterical because she can't find an open pharmacy to refill a prescription. He offers her his help and sage advice. One of Terry's cop friends has just finished his training and is strapping on his gear, leaving his gun on a counter. Laura accidentally grabs the gun and it discharges and shatters the big window of the studio. The cop refuses to arrest her and says he'll write off the incident and tells everyone it didn't happen.
This strange incident is the core of the negative consequences that ensue as Terry gets in a bind, and does not have enough money to fix the window. His wife Sondra is Brazilian and her brother is into loan sharking and other rackets. Terry refuses to get upset despite his wife's anxiety. Eventually, she borrows money from her brother, to keep the studio in operation. Terry is furious with her. The last thing he wants is to be on the hook to her gagster brother.
One day Laura comes into the studio and wants to take martial arts lessons. She confesses that she was raped and she feels powerless. He starts her with meditation to calm her mind. Laura is too strung out to concentrate and leaves he studio. However, during their time together, Terry develops a bond with her that he can't understand. This becomes a factor later in the story.
Clearly, Terry can't avoid his pressing financial problems anymore, and he goes to a fighter friend to loan him some money. He tells Terry that if he enters a MMA event he could win 50 grand. Terry is against it, but feels he has no other choice. It's been some time since he competed. But he feels confident he can't beat the competition. To up the ante on the match, the famous Redbelt of the world will be watching the match.
At this point, the consequences of the gun discharge incident come into play as other more sinister happenings cause Terry to snap out of his basic philosophy of non-action to face some serious matters that could bring him down. Finally, the match comes up and Terry is faced with some terrible choices when he finds out that Sondra has betrayed him. This leads to the physical fight, as the orbiting elements of the story degrade into the middle. It's Mamet's elegant mastery of the foibles of human nature combined with macho bravado that sets up the grand finale. Terry comes out of his shell to fight for what's right as Laura watches. One can smell the sweat and struggle for justice in Mamet's Redbelt trip into chaos.
Article Published in the May 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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