Seventeen-year old Jim is a small-town boxing hero who carries the hopes and dreams of his father Stan on his shoulders. His growing relationship with local takatāpui Māori boy, Whetu, forces him to confront the truth about his sexuality, and choose his own future.
Directed by Welby Ings
lgbt athlete
lgbt
boxing
gay theme
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
2.9 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Tim Roth
Stan
Jordan Oosterhof
Jim Richardson
Conan Hayes
Whetu
Karl Willetts
Manager
Connor Johnston
Colin
Matt Hicks
Referee
Crew
Welby Ings
Director
Welby Ings
Writer
Catherine Fitzgerald
Producer
Popular Reviews
31 reviews
Rosk
5.0★ · 05/09/26
that song sucks tho
that song sucks tho
Leandrys
7.0★ · 05/02/26
How does that happen? That we become something we're not."
This line is the entire movie in a nutshell. Punch isn't just about the boxing; it’s about that suffocating weight of everyone else's expectations and the messy, painful process of shedding a skin that never actually fit. The chemistry between Jim and Whetu feels so raw because it’s built on that shared, quiet desperation to just... exist.
It’s bittersweet, gorgeous to look at, and captures that specific kind of yearning that makes you want to crawl out of your own life and start over. Definitely worth the watch if you're into stories that actually have some soul.
How does that happen? That we become something we're not."
This line is the entire movie in a nutshell. Punch isn't just about the boxing; it’s about that suffocating weight of everyone else's expectations and the messy, painful process of shedding a skin that never actually fit. The chemistry between Jim and Whetu feels so raw because it’s built on that shared, quiet desperation to just... exist.
It’s bittersweet, gorgeous to look at, and captures that specific kind of yearning that makes you want to crawl out of your own life and start over. Definitely worth the watch if you're into stories that actually have some soul.
Septya
5.0★ · 04/30/26
that scene traumatised me..
that scene traumatised me..
Tara
5.0★ · 03/27/26
Queer representation matter i know but this movie is too messy for me. Even though you can see the message they tryna to tell but the movie itself is too messy. And this movie is too raw for someone(me) who likes it medium well
Queer representation matter i know but this movie is too messy for me. Even though you can see the message they tryna to tell but the movie itself is too messy. And this movie is too raw for someone(me) who likes it medium well
