Joey Nardone, the main character in The Nail, is someone to admire. He reminds me of the unlikely hero in Captain Abu Raed. Both of these imperfect men become champions of abused children. They cannot stand by and watch a youngster being used as a punching bag. In Joey’s case, he’s a former boxer, so this particular skill comes in handy while helping the lad in question -- but not in the way one might expect.    

Starring Tony Luke Jr. (Philadelphia’s Cheesesteak King), who also co-wrote the movie with Jason Notto, The Nail won the Audience Award for Best Film at Cinefast 09. That’s not surprising, for this inspiring and entertaining indie directed by James Quattrochi boasts intriguing characters, an involving story and excellent performances. Each cast member deserves recognition for bringing his/her character to vibrant life here.

Luke is especially memorable as a man just released from prison after serving a sentence for being involved in a horrible accident. He makes us believe that Joey never wants to hurt anyone again. Luke’s massive physical size helps him take charge of the screen in every one of his scenes. And newcomer Paul Orrantia, who portrays 14-year-old Jesus, is a real find. He does a great job showing how a youngster can change as the result of a relationship with an adult who cares about what happens to him. The friendship that develops between Joey and Jesus as they share their love of boxing comes across as quite genuine in The Nail.       

Dayanara Torres (a former Miss Universe) plays Jesus’ worried mother. Torres is as talented as she is beautiful: she should definitely continue with her acting career! Plus veteran actors William Forsythe, Leo Rossi and Tony Danza excel in their roles as important figures from Joey’s past.

The tagline for The Nail reads, “A story of hope from the streets of Philadelphia.” It’s also an unforgettable tale of redemption and second chances. 

(Released by MTI Home Video and rated “R” for language, violence, including some domestic abuse, and brief sexuality.)