‘Salvable’ Review: A Welsh Boxer Battles the Odds in Well-Crafted but Familiar Drama With Shia LaBeouf

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The struggling ex-boxer, burdened by his rough upbringing, was a familiar trope when it propelled “Rocky” to unexpected success more than four decades ago. Since then, this theme has been frequently revisited, often with an emphasis on grittiness to give it a fresh feel. However, even this approach can seem repetitive. The English music video directing duo Bjorn Franklin and Johnny Marchetta, known as “Franklin & Marchetta,” have made a confident feature debut with “Salvable.” In this film, Toby Kebbell from the “Planet of the Apes” series plays such a boxer in a Welsh coastal town, battling issues both within and outside the ring.

Featuring Shia LaBeouf and James Cosmo, this film offers strong acting, an interesting setting, and striking visuals. Despite these strengths, however, the script doesn’t quite rise above ordinary familiarity, preventing it from reaching the full dramatic impact intended. The U.K. production will be available in U.S. theaters, as well as on-demand and digital platforms, starting May 2, courtesy of Lionsgate.

Initially appearing to be beaten by an unseen adversary in a monochrome dream scenario, Sal “The Bull” Gostello (played by Kebbell), struggles equally in his everyday life. He continues to spar with Welly (James Cosmo), who runs the local boxing gym. However, at the age of nearly 40 and not in top shape, the effort seems hardly rewarding.

Elaine, Sal’s former spouse, has found a new partner, but she still harbors resentment towards Sal due to his inconsistent behavior, particularly with regard to their daughter Molly, a 14-year-old who is disappointed by her father’s unreliability. The court mandates time together, but Molly doesn’t find it enjoyable due to numerous past letdowns. In the meantime, Sal’s girlfriend Fay stormed off in anger, claiming that he had deceived her by hiding aspects of his life. However, Sal is simply ashamed to confess that he resides in a run-down trailer located in an open field.

He works as a caretaker in a senior living home, but despite the meager wages, his job security is uncertain because often, he gets falsely accused of creating issues that he was actually attempting to resolve.

Subsequently, a spark of disorder enters (or resurfaces) in Sal’s precarious life: An old acquaintance, Vince (LaBeouf), emerges from prison. Despite Welly’s warning to maintain distance due to Vince’s past mischief, their friendship reignites. It doesn’t take long before Sal finds himself embroiled in rough, unregulated fights organized by Vince, which function as gambling opportunities and a means for settling disputes among the less reputable individuals around here.

Engaging in such rough neighborhood boxing isn’t likely to better Sal’s situation, especially when he chooses not to end a fight against an opponent who is clearly outmatched. This decision leads to a costly forfeit, pushing Vince into a financial predicament that drives him towards more severe criminal acts. Simultaneously, there are unexpected crises with Sal’s upset ex, dissatisfied daughter, and regular job.

Boxing in the wrong neighborhood won’t help Sal, especially if he doesn’t finish fights against clearly weaker opponents. This can lead to financial troubles, causing him to commit more serious crimes. At the same time, there are unexpected problems with his angry ex-partner, unhappy child, and work.

In the climax of the story, an unexpected turn of events occurs when a robbery fails during a critical moment in Sal’s unlikely comeback fight. However, the dramatic impact falls short of the intended tragic magnitude, as the film’s themes are not fully fleshed out to match the expected emotional depth. Despite being well-made and featuring strong performances, “Salvable” doesn’t quite deliver on its promised emotional resonance.

In Franklin’s writing, there seems to be a lack of emotional depth amidst numerous generic and vaguely expressed storylines, which could be partly because of heavy accents making certain dialogues hard for American audiences to understand. The attempt by Sal to mend his relationship with Molly stirs empathy, but it’s shown too sparingly throughout the story, leaving us with little understanding of what led them to this predicament. This issue also applies to the dynamic between Sal and Vince. Shia LaBeouf delivers a strong performance that hints at moral complexity without maliciousness, yet the connections between these two characters are at best superficially defined. The character Cosmo is mainly underutilized in a stereotypical grumpy-but-loyal role that adds minimal value to the overall weak narrative.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself struggling to fully connect with the central relationships in this film, as they seemed somewhat incomplete in the script. However, Kebbell’s performance was captivating and convincing, offering both a powerful presence and an endearing sense of melancholy that resonated with me as the character, Sal.

Sal is portrayed as one of those individuals who faces constant adversity, but the narrative seems to shy away from showing him in a truly disadvantaged light. We’re told he’s had his share of marital and parental failures, yet the script appears hesitant to depict him as anything beyond a victim of circumstance.

Despite this portrayal of him as a man who’s been dealt a bad hand, Sal comes across on screen as an honest, kind, and resourceful individual – someone I’d call a mensch. Yet, the narrative presents him as a perennial underdog who never had a fair shot at success, which feels overly contrived and lacks the emotional punch it’s intended to deliver.

The film “Salvable” had an opportunity to emphasize its Welsh roots more distinctly, set in the former leading coal port of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. However, the actors’ attempts at a regional accent occasionally blurred this identity, and the inclusion of multiple songs by Irish singer-songwriter David Keenan, whose themes revolve around working-class heroes, such as “Guts” and “God Is a Magpie,” added to the confusion.

Despite some shortcomings in the storyline, the film manages to create an atmosphere effectively, thanks to Simon Plunket’s skillful cinematography, which is aesthetically pleasing without being overly picturesque. A dominant bluish tint throughout the movie symbolizes a melancholic struggle without words. While the fight scenes are another aspect that don’t stand out as the main focus, they are portrayed convincingly as brutal encounters. Overall, Franklin & Marchetta have produced a commendable first feature film, excelling in every aspect except for the lackluster foundational material it unfortunately cannot transcend.

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2025-05-02 03:47