The Calcium Kid

Dir: Alex de Rakoff
Wr: Alex de Rakoff, Derek Boyle
Starring : Orlando Bloom, Billie Piper
UK 2004, Cert 15

The Calcium Kid is a british mock-documentary comedy about boxing. A big US boxer, the legendary Jose Mendez is coming to London to take on a British challenger for his Belt in a major-title fight. In the training lead-up, the UK challenger gets injured following a sparring fight with a young milkman Jimmy (Bloom).

For boxing promoter Herbie Bush, this is a major calamity. He stands to lose a large amount of money unless he can come up with a new challenger. Enter into the ring, the young Jimmy, no fights at all but soon to be billed as the ‘Calcium Kid’ up against the legendary Jose Mendez, who has fought big boxing bouts globally. It’s going to be a David vs Goliath battle with the ebullient Herbie simply interested in keeping the fight on.

The Calcium Kid is quite an interesting concept – its been well put together with a mock documentary crew detailing the action in the lead up to the fight and its got some amusing moments. It’s a slight let-down in the laughs department and the writing could have been better, but there are worse British films about and Bloom is reasonably entertaining as the young boxer relying on his pint-a-day to try and win fame and fortune.

Matt Arnoldi