Small, Slow But Steady is a film loosely based on the memoirs of Keiko Ogasawara, a Japanese woman who became a professional boxer despite being deaf.
Keiko Ogawa (Yukino Kishii) has been a professional boxer for a year and she’s a member of one of the oldest boxing gyms in Tokyo. However, the gym is suffering through hard times due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the failing health of the gym’s chairman (Tomokazu Miura), and falling membership. Keiko also doubts her own ability and commitment to the sport.
I enjoy boxing films. The Rocky/Creed franchises, Raging Bull, The Fighter, and Cinderella Man are all excellent films and many boxing films fit a Hollywood template. There can be underdog and comeback stories. So, I was interested to see a boxing film from a different perspective.
Small, Slow But Steady was far from a Hollywood film. Instead of being a story about sporting triumph, Small, Slow But Steady was a sedate character drama. It was a film set in the world of boxing it was not about the fights. There were only two fights in the film and they’re not going down as the most memorable boxing fights put to screen.
Small, Slow But Steady was more of a kitchen sink drama. It was set in a more industrial part of Tokyo, the gym was cramped with old equipment, and Keiko worked as a cleaner. It stood in contrast when Keiko visited another gym that was spacious and more modern. There was a grain to the film that added to the gritty look of the film. Since Keiko was early in her boxing career she was fighting in small venues, not big arenas like in other boxing films.
Small, Slow But Steady was more comparable to Tokyo Sonata due to the grounded look and the personal drama. Keiko’s mother (Hiroko Nakajima) was against Keiko’s boxing and tried to talk her out of a sporting career. Keiko had tensions with her brother (Himi Sato) who she lived with. Whilst The Chairman’s story involved him going to hospital for tests and his wife expressing concern.
Kishii as Keiko was a likeable presence. She was tough, determined, and spunky and due to her deafness, her trainers had to come up with their own form of sign language. Despite the film’s title, Keiko had a swift and agile boxing style as shown when she was training. Yet her deafness was an issue in the ring since she couldn’t hear the bell or the ref’s instructions.
Small, Slow But Steady did make a major change regarding Ogasawara’s story: the timeframe. Ogasawara boxed from 2010 to 2013. Slow, Small But Steady started in December 2020, so using the pandemic as a backdrop was added factor. The pandemic was an added complication since it exacerbated the gym’s issues and it was an extra barrier for Keiko since she couldn’t lip-read due to the mask mandate. One of the more awkward yet humorous moments in the film was when Keiko was stopped by the police and one of the officer’s solutions was simply to shout.
Small, Slow But Steady was a slow burn. It wasn’t about Keiko preparing for a big fight so she could become a champion. During the film Keiko grows disaffected with boxing and considers quitting the sport. Adding to that were subplots involving The Chairman’s health and the gym’s falling membership.
This slow approach will make-or-break Small, Slow But Steady for viewers. Anyone expecting a traditional sports narrative will be disappointed. Even the audience members who expected a sedate drama may find their patience getting tested due to the lackadaisical pacing and meandering story. It was a film that didn’t have much of a narrative as it flipped from Keiko training, going to work and the gym suffering from their issues. The Rocky and Creed films may be formulaic but they do have a focus which the rest of the drama revolves around.
Small, Slow But Steady was an unremarkable film. It had decent ideas and could have told an interesting story, but it was told in a dull manner.
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