Real Steel (2010)

Poor Charley Kenton (Hugh Jackman) finds himself down on his luck and playing rodeo games with his prized possession robot, in a bull fight at a small county fair. He’s hoping to win enough money to repay debts and calm the sharks from breathing down his neck long enough so he can get his robot back into another boxing match.

I expected Ambush to take that bull down without a hitch, and he would have had Charley not been so busy gloating to the ladies in the stands. That short release of personal gratification cost him the fight, his robot and 20 Grand for which he knew he didn’t have.

Next he learns that his ex-girlfriend has died which means, his 11 year old son’s fate is now in the hands of a Family Court Judge. Charley can’t be bothered with a kid, so he shows up at court with the intentions of signing the boy over and being off on his merry way. But Charley is a con-man at heart, and as he gets a better glimpse of the situation, he realizes there could be a way to make some money off this custody venture. Sure enough, with an offer here and a secrete agreement there, Charley is soon to be Fifty thousand dollars richer as he becomes a summer babysitter for his son, and then another Fifty thousand dollars when he returns the boy to his rich Aunt and Uncle in August. After all is said and signed Charley is off once again with a refreshed ego and a new plan to, make more money. HA!

Charley returns to Tallet’s Gym where we get to meet his long time friend and partner Bailey (Evangeline Lilly), and his son Max Kenton (Dakota Goyo). Right away, cocky little Max is a ‘chip off the old block’. Like father like son, a lil con-man in the makings. Max surprises both Charley and Bailey when he seems to know a thing or two about robots and this day’s technology, as he shows off his talents with Charley’s new robot, Noisy Boy. As usual Charley has plans of making more money, but Max refuses to be left behind, so he cons dad into taking him along for the ride. A short ride into the big time with a hinted promise of easy money!

But Charley is like a little kid with a brand new toy that he really doesn’t know how to play with yet, and rather than take some time to learn this new toy, he rushes right in to the main event and destroys Nosey Boy. Then the two break into a junkyard where Max finds his own robot, and convinces Bailey to fix it up, Max adds a couple of tender tweaks. Now what was supposed to be a smooth short ride to riches with Nosey Boy, has turned into a serious summer long bumpy road where they are just trying to catch up and get back. The summer ends as Max’s toy ATOM boxes against the WRB undefeated champion Zeus, and is left standing as The People’s Champion.

Real Steel is sure to please all with comedy, drama and plenty of action.