I'm not even sure how to pronounce her name, but I will never forget the actress Rebecca Neuenswander in this movie. And I use the word "actress" instead of "martial artist," which apparently she is, because she is absolutely radiant in this movie.
She has a scene late in the movie where she's in a hospital bed. Her face is a mass of bruises, one eye is swollen shut, her lips are split, etc. Her manager comes to her side and she can barely talk, but says, "Want to hear something funny?" She then tells a story about how her parents kicked her out of the house at age 15 when they discovered she was gay that is absolutely heart breaking. Neuenswander doesn't milk it for sobs, but tells the story with a little smile on her face. She's a fighter, all right.
Tough as nails on the outside, tender on the inside. That's Katherine Parker, the role Neuenswander plays. The plot itself is a "Rocky" rehash that is clunky and improbable. There's an over-the-top plot device involving a crowbar. The ending is corny and pat.
Nevermind. See this moving to watch an stunning performance by a young actress. Neuenswander has made no other movie except this. Maybe she has other fish to fry. At least we have "Fight Night."
Neuenswander would be perfect to play Lisbeth Salander in the American remake of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." But that role will undoubtedly be one of the most sought-after by young actresses in recent Hollywood history.