'Redbelt' a solid Mamet meditation on ideals, betrayal, marriage, martial arts

David Mamet finally makes a real movie with "Redbelt." Not that the gifted playwright hasn't directed some good films in the past, although the last one I remember as fully satisfying was his second one, "Things Change."

But "Redbelt" is real cinema, evocatively photographed by "There Will Be Blood" Oscar winner Robert Elswit and conveyed through actions as much as by dialogue.

There are plenty of good, loaded exchanges, of course, and Mamet's genius for subtle swindling and keen sense of moral erosion are in the mix.

Suffice it to say that "Redbelt's" key climactic moment goes unheard in the sound mix and is all the more powerful for it.

Along with expanded artistry, Mamet brings a palpable passion to the practice of jiu-jitsu, a martial art he's studied for more than five years.

He clearly loves the ethically pure underpinnings of the sport, but the insightful cynic in him understands the conflict that comes from trying to live by ideals in this fallen, pragmatic world of ours.

And having been a screenwriter-for-hire, he knows how much uglier and more absurd that tension can become once Hollywood gets involved.

Mike Terry (a superbly self-controlled Chiwetel Ejiofor) runs a struggling West L.A. dojo, focused more on staying faithful to old Japanese philosophy than turning a profit (what would they say about that in Tokyo now?).

His wife, Sondra ("I Am Legend's" Alice Braga), comes from a family of

Brazilian fighters who have no problem exploiting the discipline in commercialized mixed martial-arts matches, some of them fixed.

That has never been Mike's thing, but when he helps a screwed-up movie star ("Home Improvement's" Tim Allen, quite convincing) out of a bar brawl, the resulting siren call of film work is impossible to resist.

Mike eventually finds himself enmeshed in an improbably complex scam that tests his faith — which, frankly, could use some testing.

He has to decide if his beliefs are worth sticking to when they only seem to cause him, and those he cares for, no end of trouble.

At the same time, Mamet makes sure one character, Emily Mortimer's frazzled lawyer Laura, benefits mightily from Mike's teachings.

But even she's threatened with destruction simply for trying to help him.

"Redbelt" is about as far away from "Never Back Down" as a movie about the same subject can be.

It isn't exactly a smackdown in the martial-arts action department; the few match sequences are staged well enough, but the best part about them is the way Mamet works his usual knack for surprise into the mix-up.

He's also dutifully packed the cast with fight stars from a constellation of styles.

Cerebral as it often may get, "Redbelt" is the work of a true fan.

It's brought out some of the best in him, and he's returned the favor to the genre.