Experiencing Interruptions?

“Tough Guy” Sizzle Reel

LOGLINE: Leo works at his family butcher shop, next in line to the sausage throne. Could a new opportunity to bet on himself in an amateur boxing ring be his ticket out? He just needs to get in fighting shape, and get his Italian family on board. What could go wrong?

SYNOPSIS: In “Tough Guy”, Leo, a young Italian man, is working away at the family butcher shop. He spends his free time working out, daydreaming, and scheming. He strives for the American Dream; to have a beautiful family and for them to live a comfortable life. That’s why he doesn’t want to take over the store, it feels like an investment rolling downhill.

One week, the neighborhood bookie makes his regular rounds, newly offering odds on a boxing match at a local amateur gym. Leo sees this as a chance to bet on himself and win big. Not wanting to bet on himself directly, he plants bets through his family, friends, and customers. Leo sees this as “diversifying his portfolio”. He doesn’t have money to blow on the stock market or get rich quick schemes, so why not try something that feels a bit more concrete. He’s gotten into a few fights while out drinking with his friends throughout the years, how hard could an amateur fight be?

Turns out boxing is…actually hard: It’s not like drunken tussles. These people are here to prove something. They’re fighting for the same thing.

With that Italian confidence and bravado, he digs his heels in, takes a couple to the chin, and fights on. Knowing that if he wins there’s an opportunity to take a step forward into a better life for himself and his future children. All he’s got to do is throw one good punch, and dodge all of his opponents

  • Joey Dardano
    Director
    The Method with Joey Dardano
  • Joey Dardano
    Writer
  • Joey Dardano
    Producer
  • Joey Dardano
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Joey Dardano

Joey Dardano is an actor, comedian, singer and writer based out of Brooklyn, NY. Growing up in an Italian/Cuban family in South Florida, he attended theatre programs at prestigious middle and high schools, crooning ballads and landing double pirouettes (sometimes). He is trained at Stella Adler and The New School for Dramatic Arts, and has studied voice under Aaron Hagan (Ariana Grande, Meghan Trainor) since he was 18.
Joey is featured on the current season of Wild ‘N Out on VH1, starred in “My Kind of People” which won The Russo Bros’ Italian Filmmaker Forum Competition, and will next be seen in the new Jonah Feingold rom-com, “31 Candles”.
He created and stars in the digital series "The Method with Joey Dardano" which he created alongside Stapleview and The Laugh Factory. Joey is currently touring the country as a standup, dates can be found at joeydardano.com.
Joey has 290k+ Tik Tok followers, 121k Instagram followers and hosts the popular shows Hot Boi Shit and Peaches and Cream in NYC.

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Director Statement

I’m Half-Italian, but everything about me would tell you that there’s nothing but Calabria coursing through my veins. It’s written all over my olive skin. In how I speak. People know I’ve arrived not because they’ve seen me…but they heard me as soon as I walk through the door.

Growing up Italian means not relaxing in front of your parents or they’ll thwack your chest with rolled up “Help Wanted” ads.

Many Italians I know aspire to is owning their own business, or at the very least being their own boss. They don’t want to answer to anybody, only their mother and God.

Surviving in New York city, I’ve worked many jobs that kept me fed & housed while dreaming bigger: Butcher Shop, PA, Babysitter, Gym associate, Stylist, Tutor, Sales Rep, I’ve even worked as a mover, lifting marble coffee tables up and down five flights of stairs with one guy nursing a hangover and no health insurance. I didn’t care. I knew what I was working towards. My dream. I knew that the American Dream that my family emigrated here for was achievable with some hustle, perseverance, and charisma.

In “Tough Guy”, I want that for Leo, our main character. A young man working away at the family butcher shop, spending his free time working out, daydreaming, and scheming. Aspiring for more. He wants to marry a nice girl and buy a brownstone. Raise a family. Treat em’ nice. Take them on a nice yearly vacation. He doesn’t just want to survive, he wants to thrive. He doesn’t even want to take over the store! And that’s not what his father dreams for him either. They’ve both dreamed bigger. It’s always there as a back-up plan, but Leo don’t want to live no back-up plan.

When the neighborhood bookie makes his rounds, newly offering odds on a boxing match at a local amateur gym, I want Leo to see the light at the end of the exhausting tunnel and plot his way out. He’s gotten into a few scraps throughout the years. So he’ll join the gym and the fight card. He’s always worked with his hands anyways, why not add the face? Besides, all the most successful people took risks. And he’s not some scumbag, he’s taking advantage of a system that already exists!! Placing a bunch of untraceable bets through various friends, he’ll train, he’ll win, paying out percentages and taking home big pay day.

Turns out boxing is…actually hard: another thing to have to dedicate yourself to to make work. Nothing comes easy. But Leo sees this as “diversifying his portfolio”. He can’t do Real Estate or anything else anyways so, what else has he got?

With humor and heart, I want the metaphor of taking your beating and coming out the other side to play as a beautiful and entertaining ode to the Italian way digging ten toes down in the dirt and confidently walking your way to the top whether it hurts or not.