Well Deserved Praise

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

This a great, inspiring boxing film from the mid eighties. I had read a number of positive reviews about this film, and I agree with those reviews.Alek, a former boxer from the Soviet Union (Klaus Maria Brandauer) arrives in the United States to start a new life. He witnesses two boxers, Timmy (Adrian Pasdar) and Roland (Wesley Snipes) participate in the rough sport of illegal boxing. The two young men have obvious strength with the arrogant attitudes to match, and Alek sees that they both have potential to become champion boxers. After Timmy witnesses Alek get the better of Roland during a drunken dark alley brawl, Timmy asks Alek to be his coach, as he knows that his style could use some refining.Alek accepts, and puts Timmy through a tough training regime. Timmy gets angry, after his coach walks out in the middle of their first training session, resulting in Timmy screaming four letter words at Alek (a memorable scene). Afterwards, when things have cooled down, the young man feels contrite. A number of things happen (one of them being the Soviet boxing team visiting the US for a post cold war smack down) and Alek takes on Roland as a protégé (much to Timmy's chagrin, since he and Roland had bad blood between them). Under Alek's wing, the two kids learn discipline and excel at boxing. The entire film proceeds in a logical order, culminating in a Rocky-style bout between Timmy and the Soviet champ.Streets of Gold features Pasdar and Snipes in their early twenties (when they were unknowns), and it's easy to see that way back then, they had the talent and the masculine looks to achieve super stardom. The film is worth watching, just to see Pasdar attempt to do a Russian folk dance. I have to give him points for trying! The veteran actor Brandauer is just as brilliant as the two young lead actors, as the fiery yet Yoda-like mentor.There are a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments in this film. I won't give anything away, since you have to see them for yourself.I can't finish the review without mentioning the fashion. The 1980s had featured colourful clothes by today's standards, and I must warn you that there is plenty of typical 80s fashion in this film (as you'd expect). Baby Boomers and early Gen X's will feel nostalgic while watching this, while late Gen X's and Gen Y's will be silently thankful that they didn't have to wear such outlandish clothing. I'm in Generation Y, BTW.The only criticism that I can give, as other reviews have discussed, is that didn't explore the characters as deeply as I would have liked. For example, we don't get an in depth look at Timmy and Roland's troubled childhoods. Perhaps a flashback could have been appropriate. However, I'm just nitpicking, since what has been presented in this 89 minute film is excellent.If you are a fan of Pasdar or Snipes, or of boxing/80s sports films, Streets of Gold is a must see film. 8.5/10.

I remember first seeing this movie when I was about 9 years old on HBO way back in 1990. I remember I liked it when I was a kid. about six months ago I tracked it down again, and it is a pretty good film. Its about 2 young boxers being caoched by an older Russian man, who was once a boxer himself. And he trains them to compete in the Olympics. its a good story. and if your a fan of the rocky,and karate kid series, or the original best of the best, idd recommend you check this out. I thought film also had a great score, that is very emotional and uplifting, and fits the film perfectly. This is definitely a feel good action/sports movie. If you can find it, Definitely check it out.

As an Adrian Pasdar fan, I checked out Streets of Gold. But, the real star of the movie is Klaur Maria Brandauer who plays the main character, Alek. Alek is a boxing pro who defected from Russia when they wouldn't let him compete on the Russian Olympic team because he was Jewish. Now, Alek comes to live in New York, although the racist and ethnic slurs haven't disappeared. He offers to coach two up and coming boxers, Timmy Boyle (Adrian Pasdar), a young Italian kid, and Roland Jenkins (Wesley Snipes), a young black man. One competitive opponents, these two guys eventually become friends, and with Alek's help, they become good enough to fight for the U.S. Olympic team. The movie presents a meaningful story with a somewhat good view of boxing, although the story supercedes the action in the ring. Written, of course, during the Cold War, is a story of unity between a Russian and his acceptance and integration into the United States. On the other hand, it also looks at racial and ethnic divisions, not only as experienced by Jewish Alek, but also by Timmy and Roland who are initially reluctant to make friends because of this hatred. The movie is only somewhat a good view of boxing, although most of the movie just shows the young men and their coach involved in training sessions while the only real fights the stars engage in is their primitive fighting scenes in the beginning and the final boxing matches for the Olympic team. Klaus Maria Brandauer really steals the movie as Alek, the coach who is never really sure if coming to America was a good idea, until his ideals get to flourish through the success of his boxers (hence the tagline--"three visions, two boxers, one dream"). Adrian Padar fans won't want to miss this one as well. And Wesley Snipes gives a good performance too as the cocky Roland Jenkins.

There aren't too many sports-centered stories I've seen that are quite as well done as "Streets of Gold." The character development is well done, and the pace of the story is lively. The acting is good, and the dialogue engaging.This is a story that I'm guessing most sports-fans will enjoy, but has enough depth to make it appealing to those who usually prefer something with a bit more emotional depth.