First Match

Name: First Match
Genre: Drama, Sport
Released: March 30, 2018
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Allen Maldonado, Colman Domingo, Eisa Davis, Elvire Emanuelle, Jared Kemp

2018

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 4 Ratings

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8.3

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8.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 4 Ratings

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First Match

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): March 30, 2018 | TV-MA

Starring: Allen Maldonado, Colman Domingo, Eisa Davis, Elvire Emanuelle, Jared Kemp, Jeanette Branch, Jharrel Jerome, Jimmy Gary Jr., Kamika Desrosiers, Kawari Desrosiers, Kim Ramirez, Mugga, Travis Raeburn, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Summary: Hardened by years in foster care, a teenage girl from Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood decides that joining the all-boys' wrestling team is the only way back to her estranged father.

Director: Olivia Newman

Genre(s): Drama, Sport

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 102 min

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Critic Reviews

Kenneth Seward Jr.

Apr 5, 2018

At its worst, First Match is a gripping drama centered on the relationship between a teen and her estranged father. At its best, it’s an emotional ride with a soul. Its inevitable praise is a testament to the powerful performances therein. Read full review

Andrew Crump

Apr 5, 2018

Newman has pretty serious filmmaking chops: She shoots action cleanly, coherently, with an eye for the poetry of a well-executed suplex and the brutality of a back alley brawl. Her strongest work, though, is seen in her characters and in her lead. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Jessica Ritchey

Mar 30, 2018

But there is much to like, and pay attention to in First Match. It’s a film of small moments. Read full review

Amy Nicholson

Mar 26, 2018

Emanuelle manages to make us care about this bullying girl without pleading for sympathy. Read full review

Kimber Myers

Mar 29, 2018

While First Match is more ambitious than most films in the genre, it still provides moments to cheer our complicated heroine, whether she's on the mat or off. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Jun 26, 2018

First Match is a gritty streetwise high school wrestling tale and coming of age/finding your “thing” drama. Emmanuelle makes a fearsome first film impression as Mo, a kid worth giving up on, which is why almost everyone has. Read full review

The Playlist Lena Wilson

Mar 26, 2018

First Match is a culturally significant, capably-crafted film, but it leans on safe familiarities when it should seek risky rewards. Read full review

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