Bruiser (2022 film)

Darious is a 14-year-old boy who lives with his father Malcolm and mother Monica. Malcolm urges Darious not to fight or act aggressively towards others, reflecting on his own violent childhood and strained relationship with his father. One day, after getting beaten up in an altercation with another boy, Darious walks into a woodland area and meets a man named Porter, who lives alone in a small boat. Darious and Porter bond, with Porter teaching Darious some self-defense skills.

It's eventually revealed that Porter is Darious's biological father who had abandoned Darious at birth. Now, however, Porter is eager to reconnect with Darious. Malcolm and Monica become aware of this and disprove of Darious forming a relationship with Porter. Malcolm remembers Porter's past, which was full of violence, and he is eager to protect Darious. Nevertheless, Darious and Porter continue to strengthen their bond, and Darious resists Malcolm's attempts to keep them apart.

One night, after a family argument, Darious flees with Porter. Porter insists that he take Darious away from Malcolm and Monica and that they start a new life together, about which Darious appears hesitant. Malcolm eventually tracks the two down by the side of a road, puts Darious in his car, and proceeds to fight with Porter. Malcolm and Porter continue to fight in the darkness of the night as Darious drives the car back home.

• Trevante Rhodes as Porter
• Shamier Anderson as Malcolm
• Jalyn Hall as Darious
• Shinelle Azoroh as Monica
• Frank Oakley III as Officer Ron Evans
• Sarah Bock as Mia
• Jonah Bishop-Pirrone as Mike
• Kiah Alexandria Clingman as Sissy
• Moses Jones as Ernest

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022.^[1] It was announced that same month that Bruiser was the first narrative feature film to be acquired by Onyx Collective.^[2] It was released by Hulu in the United States on February 24, 2023.^[3]