'Fighting' review

Channing Tatum (Credit: Phillip V. Caruso/Rogue)

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Shawn (Channing Tatum) is just a street hustler until Harvey (Terrence Howard) presents him with a dream opportunity: the chance to get paid to beat the junk out of people. Good deal for a buff ex-brawler like Shawn, who also has his eyes on a sexy waitress/single mother (Zulay Henao) and avenging a grudge with an old foe.

The buzz: Tatum's had major roles in films like "Step Up," "Stop-Loss" and "She's the Man," but most people still don't know Channing Tatum from Stockard Channing. The very ordinary-sounding "Fighting" reunites Tatum with "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" director Dito Montiel, an author, musician and true New Yorker who in "Saints" showed skill for capturing ordinary, low-income life in the city.

The verdict: "Fighting" has personality, no doubt, thanks to Montiel's knack for establishing people and places, and his cast's refusal to sink into generic character types. (Tatum is one big hit from becoming a star. Could August's "G.I. Joe" push him over the top?) The movie, though, doesn't try to break from its generic roots so much as stand proud while remaining tied down. "Fighting" neglects to challenge what we think about fighting and fighting movies, even while delivering some real-deal toughness and painting a decent portrait of what happens when the only thing that matters to people is throwing fists and getting paid. Consequently, the film's a watchable and forgettable cliché stack, with a cherry on top.

Did you know? Before Harvey discovers him, Shawn sells phony merchandise on the street, such as the, uh, beloved novel "Harry Potter vs. Hippopotamus." Who would have thought that's not a real book?

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