Gabriel review – plucky boxing story pulls its punches

The tale of a desperate young fighter in Lisbon features a soulful performance but is dogged by boxing movie clichesThere are echoes of Ken Loach in this Portuguese drama about a young immigrant boxer, a decent kid with no job prospects and few opportunities. Igor Regalla gives the film a heart with his disarmingly warm central performance as a young fighter from Cape Verde, a former colony. But the film’s claim to uncompromising realism is let down by a few cliched scenes that feel recycl