They Fight Review: André Holland Can't Save This Disjointed Sports Drama

Actor André Holland has had one of the more interesting career trajectories in Hollywood in recent years. He is best known for his role in 2016's Best Picture-winning Moonlight, and in the years since, he’s gone on to prove just how good of an actor he is. Despite being relatively soft-spoken, Holland commands the screen with his presence alone, anchoring films in a way singular to him. He’s also chosen an eclectic group of projects in his career, from The Knick to Selma, which not only makes him one of the industry’s most underrated performers, but one of the most unpredictable as well.

Holland’s next role is in They Fight, a Hulu drama that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this month. Based on a true story (which was first told in a 2018 documentary), They Fight follows Walt Manigan (Holland) as he tries to rebuild his life after being released from a long-term prison sentence. Walt must balance many things at once, including searching for a job, finding a place to stay, and proving to the mother of his child that he’s worthy of a second chance. In his quest to meet these goals, Walt volunteers at a local youth gym, finding himself back in the boxing ring after years away. However, this time around, Walt is on the sidelines, coaching a group of teenage boys to be better than he was – and to avoid the mistakes he made.

André Holland Shines In They Fight

Not surprisingly, Holland is the best part of They Fight. The actor gives a quiet, reserved performance, but one that is full of heart and soul. He is excellent at conveying a character’s trauma just through his body language and speech patterns alone, and that’s the case again here. Audiences are clued in to only some of the details of Walt’s life before prison, but Holland does enough to show the viewer the sheer pain and suffering his character has been through. In this regard, he is pulling They Fight up from a script that lacks some of the depth that this story requires.

Unfortunately, those script weaknesses are too strong to overcome, and Holland’s performance is ultimately overshadowed. A huge reason for this is the lack of focus in the story, which jarringly shifts from one element to the next. The film begins as something of a character study, looking at the plight of someone who is now out of prison, but lacks the support or guidance he needs to succeed on the outside. The story then moves to the boxing element, shifting focusing to Peanut (Anthony B. Jenkins), a teenage boy who practices boxing at the gym where Walt volunteers (and lives).

Peanut is an interesting character, and his journey from lost teenager to growing, confident young man is touching. However, he ends up being one of many elements thrown into the film. Walt’s recurring drug addiction, fear of reengaging with the sport that he once put so much into when he was younger, and evolving relationship with his child’s mother, are all thrown into the story without much thought as to how they’d gel together. Because of this, the potential of these story threads isn’t fully realized. The end result is a muddled, confused film that's unwilling to commit to any one aspect of its story.

That’s a huge shame, especially as the true story is so gripping. Ultimately, however, the 2018 documentary does a much better job of telling this inspiring tale, despite André Holland’s best efforts. There’s plenty to like about They Fight, but when all the elements come together, the end product is disappointing.

They Fight screened at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival and premieres on Hulu July 17.

Release Date June 8, 2026

Director Sheldon Candis

Writers Andrew Renzi

Producers Jason Michael Berman

Cast

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  Andre Holland

  Walt Manigan

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