Knuckle (film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Knuckle

| image = Knuckle_2011.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Poster

| director = Ian Palmer

| producer = {{ubl|Teddy Leifer|Ian Palmer}}

| writer =

| starring =

| music = Ilan Eshkeri

| cinematography = {{ubl|Michael Doyle|Ian Palmer}}

| editing = Ollie Huddleston

| studio = Rise Films

| distributor =

| released = {{film date|2011|01|21|Sundance}}

| runtime = 96 minutes

| country = Ireland

| language =

}}

Knuckle is a 2011 Irish documentary film about the secretive world of Irish Traveller bare-knuckle boxing. The film was made in stages over 12 years. The film premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/blogs/2011-Sundance-Film-Festival-Announces-Films-in-Competition|title=2011 Sundane Film Festival Announces Films in Competition|work=Sundance Institute|date=1 December 2010|access-date=15 August 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2011/01/sundance-knuckle-documentary-creates-remake-rights-intrigue-for-brawling-saga-94803/|title=Sundance: 'Knuckle' Documentary Creates Remake Rights Intrigue For Brawling Saga|work=Deadline|first=Mike Jr|last=Fleming|date=7 January 2011|access-date=15 August 2021}} This film follows a history of violent feuding between rival clans.

Synopsis

This film follows 12 years in the lives of three Irish Traveller families (Joyces, Nevins, and Quinn-McDonaghs) and their bitter feuds and fights. The film explores the reasons why they hold these fights and explores in-depth these families' secret life, which is barely known to outsiders of the Traveller community. The real reason for the feud among the families is never revealed, as they will not talk about it to outsiders.

Cast

James Quinn McDonagh
Michael Quinn McDonagh
Paddy Quinn McDonagh
Christy (Ditsy) Walford
Thomas (Spike) Nevin
Ian Palmer
Davey Nevin
Joe (Big Joe) Joyce

Reception

The film received a mostly positive response from critics.{{cite news |title= Brawling for Money, Clan and Just Because|work= The New York Times|date=8 December 2011|url= https://movies.nytimes.com/2011/12/09/movies/knuckle-documentary-about-fighting-irish-travelers-review.html

|access-date=6 March 2012 |first= Manohla |last= Dargis |author-link= Manohla Dargis }}{{cite news|title= Knuckle |work= The Guardian |date= 4 August 2011 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/aug/04/knuckle-review|access-date=6 March 2012|location=London|first=Peter|last=Bradshaw}}{{cite news|title= Movie review: 'Knuckle'|work= The Los Angeles Times |date=9 December 2011|url= https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-dec-09-la-et-knuckle-20111209-story.html|access-date=6 March 2012 |first= Betsy |last= Sharkey }}{{cite news|title= Review: Understated & Powerful Documentary 'Knuckle' Is A Knockout|work= Indie Wire|url= http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/review-understated-powerful-documentary-knuckle-is-a-knockout|access-date=6 March 2012}}

On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 93% based on reviews from 43 critics.{{cite news |title= Knuckle (2011) |work= Rotten Tomatoes |url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/knuckle_2011/ |access-date= 2020-04-04 }}