"Bruiser" Movie Review – Watch How You Act

Runtime: 99 minutes

Release Date: October 9, 2001

Rating: R

Director: George Romero

Henry is the type of man that you work with for years and never really notice. His job at the fashion magazine Bruiser doesn't offer him the chance to shine, and he mainly sticks to the background. When he does make a suggestion, people either ignore him or push his ideas as their own. Henry keeps asking his best friend about his money, which the friend invested, and he never gets any information.

On the same day that he learns that his friend stole all of his money, he discovers that his wife is in the midst of an affair. It doesn't help matters that his wife constantly nags him and treats him like crap. She even talks to him on the phone while with her lover, never realizing that Henry can hear everything they say. He finally snaps when he wakes up and finds that he has an white mask covering his face. Knowing that no one knows who he is, he decides that now is the perfect time to get his revenge.

When I read the plot synopsis for "Bruiser," I wondered how I made it this far in life without hearing of this Romero flick. Now that I actually sat down and watched the movie, I completely understand. There's nothing inherently wrong with "Bruiser," but I found that I struggled to pay attention. Jason Flemyng almost seems to do too good of a job with Henry. When it comes to acting like the by the books man that he is at the beginning of the film, he does an excellent job. He does a less than great job when it comes to playing a man hell bent on vengeance.

Romero does do a great job of interjecting a few bits of humor into the film, but it wasn't enough to keep me interested. Since this review ran a little short, let's toss out some trivia for you.

The Misfits appeared in the film and played two songs. The band worked out a deal with Romero: he directed one of their music videos, and they appeared in his movie.

This is the only film that Romero wrote and directed that isn't part of his Dead franchise.

Romero doesn't consider "Bruiser" a horror film, but his distributor packaged it as one and even changed the poster to fit the horror genre. That backfired for them seeing as how the movie went straight to video instead of playing in theaters.