The Set-Up
“Don't you see Bill? You're always just one punch away.”
Robert Wise’s "The Set-Up" is a tale of an aging boxer, who thinks he has a shot of beating a young rising star, the problem is, only so few believes in him, He is ridiculed for being past his prime, many people don't take him seriously, his wife is so fed up with his losses that she couldn't even bring herself to attend his fight, and even his managers took a bribery to get him to lay down.
TO ME, this film depicts the passage of time and how no one can escape it, as shown by the constant shots of clocks and Bill being reminded and made fun of for his aging. But despite all those, we must learn to accept it and keep persevering. Who knows? We might be able to turn the tide against doubters, like Bill did by the third act.
From the acting, the beautiful shots (especially by the end), and the comedic moments, this makes it by far one of my favorite film noirs and boxing films!