CA Man wrote on 08/04/2005:

This highly flawed movie has a lot of problems. It is a "Rocky" want-to-be with a gay twist but is knocked out early. The story is quite predictable once the lead characters are introduced. The script, acting, and cardboard characterizations are quite lame. This is really notable because the production aspects of the movie, such as photography and editing, are well done and seem to be backed by a reasonable budget. My biggest peeve with this movie is that, given that it is released in 2005, it mimics movies of an earlier era in the way it treats gay characters. I have never seen such a negative gay stereotype as this movie projects. The gay guy is self-loathing, passive, ashamed, failed, alone, deceptive, abandoned, depressed and depressing, anxious, sneaky, driven by sexual desires toward an inappropriate recipient, fearful, insecure, old before his time, etc. To top it off, the producers employ the antique and overused method of killing off a gay character in order to bring a pseudo-equilibrium to the ending, thus calming the morally challenged part of the audience. Amazingly, the producers have the gall to market this to a gay audience. Well, this movie failed early at the box office and deserves to fail big time as a DVD throwaway. Too bad, the premise of the movie has promise--two very different and quite needy men separated by ages and experiences getting together in the homophobic arena of professional boxing to accomplish what they could not do alone. Unfortunately, this movie is not and never will be a contender.

Green Giant wrote on 08/03/2005:

I was wary of buying this DVD since its theatrical run was so short; if you sneezed you missed it. But I'm happy to
report that buying the dvd of FIGHTING TOMMY RILEY was money well spent.
For instance, most low budget/indie films quite frankly look like low budget/indie films. this film does not. In fact, the production values are that of a major studio release. also the performances by J.P. Davis and Eddie Jones are stellar. In fact Davis also wrote the screenplay so that's another notch in his belt. My only criticism of the film is two fold. First I thought the plot element by which Tommy sees the light and gets his priorities straight is unnecessarily melodramatic. And second in Davis's almost total nude scene. we get a killer view of Davis's gorgeous ass but when he turns around he delierately dangles a towel in front of him so we don't see his genitals. If Davis is that uptight about revealing all then why shoot the scene in
the nude to begin with? What's the point? I'm guessing like most Amercian men Davis is uptight about his dick size which like most American men is quite nice I'm sure.

Taking into account the above, the eye candy level in this film is quite high. Davis is shown bare-chested and sweaty working out on may occasions. and his face, physique and ass are all of equal attractiveness. I would love to see a gay themed film where Davis plays a gay character.