Halle Berry’s impressive performances have been few and far between since she won the 2002 Best Actress Academy Award for Monster’s Ball. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Bruised features her best acting work in 20 years.
Berry is utterly transfixing as Jackie Justice, a mixed martial arts fighter who has wasted the best years of her career and fallen on hard times. After the unexpected return of Manny (Danny Boyd Jr), her son, aged 6, who she previously left with his father, Justice decides to get back into the ring, accepting an offer to fight the best female MMA fighter in the world in an unsanctioned bout.
What makes Berry’s turn in front of the camera all the more impressive is that she also makes her directing debut behind it, too. The dual position clearly suits her. Berry leads from the front, as she immediately brings an intensity to the sports drama that pulsates all the way through its 138-minute-long running time.
Over the course of its gritty and distressing opening 20 minutes, Berry establishes that Bruised isn’t going to pull any punches. Not only is Justice sexually assaulted, but she gets into a screaming match with her lover and manager Desi (Adan Canto), who takes her to an underground MMA clash, where she exchanges gory punches and then violent headbutts with one of the fighters.
Berry’s portrayal is so transformative and fiery that you truly believe her as the pugilist. There’s an internal anger that burns throughout her performance. So much so that her best work arrives in the silent moments before she unleashes on her opponents, as Berry is able to convey the unsaid fury that motivates and empowers her.
Berry’s directing is equally as impressive. Firstly, she elevates every other actor that shares the screen with her. Then, alongside cinematographer Frank G DeMarco, she brings an attention to detail that makes Justice’s dank and depressing living and working conditions come to life in an authentic but subtle manner.
It’s just a shame that all of Berry’s fine work is undercut by Bruised’s needlessly long running time. The warning signs that it is going to be too long for its own good arrive very early on, as Berry establishes way too much, too soon. For the next hour, though, the film actually progresses in an engaging and heartfelt manner, akin to Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler.
The emotional explorations of Jackie’s relationships with Manny, her new trainer Buddhakan (Sheila Atim), and her mother (Adriane Lenox) make you all the more invested in her journey. Sure, Bruised occasionally lapses into cliche and overly-familiar territory, but Berry is so poignant and affecting as Jackie looks to overcome her past trauma and alcoholism, that it doesn’t really matter.
Ultimately, though, Bruised succumbs to mediocrity because Michelle Rosenfarb’s script tries to pack way too much in. There’s at least a 20-minute period before the finale where it really slumps in momentum, while one late plot is so needless that it nearly derails the entire film.
What makes these issues all the more frustrating is that Bruised’s final act is actually very captivating and dramatic. Berry proves she’s equally as adept directing action sequences as she is with drama, as the fight builds in a truly gripping fashion. Come the end, you can’t help but be stirred by what unfolds. Even its final shot manages to be moving.
Despite its issues, Bruised is undoubtedly a triumphant first directorial outing from Berry. It’s also a reminder that, when she has the material, she’s one of the best actresses in the world.
Bruised is available on Netflix from November 24
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)
Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
Q&A with Dash Berlin
Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.
You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.
You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.
Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
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