Redbelt

Set in the West L.A. fight scene, a world inhabited by bouncers, cage- fighters, cops and special forces types, REDBELT is the story of Mike Terry (the terrific Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Jiu-Jitsu master who has avoided the prize fighting circuit, choosing instead to pursue an honorable life by operating a self-defense studio with a samurai’s code. Terry and his wife Sondra (Alice Braga), struggle to keep the business running to make ends meet. An accident one night at Terry’s academy between an off duty officer and a distraught lawyer (Emily Mortimer) sets in motion a series of events that will change Terry’s life dramatically, introducing him to a world of promoters (Ricky Jay, Joe Mantegna) and movie stars (Tim Allen). In order to pay off his debts and regain his honor, Terry must step into the ring for the first time in his life.

"Mr. Ejiofor gives a commanding performance, perfectly calibrated in what's withheld just as much as what's revealed." (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal)