"Fighting" packs little punch

Three years ago, Channing Tatum earned an Independent Spirit nomination for his commanding work as a troubled gang leader in Dito Montiel's semi-autobiographical drama "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints."

Their latest collaboration, "Fighting," is much less personal. It's also substantially less interesting: a nearly plotless tale of a homeless Manhattan boy (Tatum) who becomes an underground street fighter under the management of a scam artist (Terrence Howard).

Tatum's driven character, Shawn MacArthur, is introduced hawking fake copies of a Harry Potter book in front of Radio City Music Hall. When Howard's more genial character, Harvey Boarden, catches him in an impromptu brawl, he knows he can turn this bit of street theater into something quite lucrative.

For long stretches, the movie coasts on the chemistry between these two actors, who quickly develop an easy rapport. Shawn is looking for a father figure, Harvey is searching for both a meal ticket and someone he can educate, and their scenes together suggest just how desperately these people need each other.

The same cannot be said for the scenes between Shawn and his girlfriend, Zulay Valez (newcomer Zulay Henao) — or, more precisely, the hapless single mother he stalks until she can resist him no longer. She's almost a fairy-tale character; there's little an actress can do to make her credible or consistent.

Zulay is hiding her past, and so is Shawn. Their secrets are supposed to generate the dramatic momentum of the film's second half, but they have almost no impact. They're dropped almost as soon as they're mentioned.

Still, the biggest problem with "Fighting" is that "Fight Club" (which was released 10 years ago) got there first. On almost every level — pacing, humor, originality, the choreography of the fight scenes — "Fighting" can't touch it.

John Hartl: johnhartl@yahoo.com