Boxing movies tend to be tougher to work than other sports movies. Boxing matches tend to be long and drawn out, there’s a lot of back and forth, and it’s a lot of intensity all the time. The average viewer will eventually lose interest in watching two actors fake pummel each other. There is also the issue of scoring. In many sports, scoring makes sense. Points are assigned to explainable acts; a run in baseball, a point in hockey, even judged sports like figure skating can be understood. But in boxing, points are given for hits, knock downs, and penalties, and even I have a difficult time scoring a match even when I know what to look for.
Add to all that the fact that many boxing matches are decided not by knockouts but by scoring, it makes pulling off a boxing movie tough. And if the movie is a true story, where you lack the Hollywood ability to knock a guy out to avoid the issues I mentioned, entertainment is nearly impossible. These facts simply broaden the accomplishment that is “Cinderella Man.”
This movie is an adaptation of the life of James Braddock, a depression era boxer who went from a washed up fighter who had to go on public assistance to world champion. The story takes place during the depression of the 1930’s. We get to see the effects of the depression straight up, in a very accurate way.
This movie also accomplishes something else that is very hard to do, and that is to keep the interest of an audience that already knows the plot. Stories about comefrombehindunderdogsthatwinbig are not new at all. From the outset, we know that Braddock will win, yet win he does there is still exaltation left for this 75 year old story.
Article comments
1 - dietdoc
Marty writes: Russell Crowe is surprisingly good.
Reply: Despite being - at least from the glances we get of him in the public eye - apparently a complete lout, that boy has got some acting chops. This is one movie this summer I might actually not wait 6 months to see on DVD.
Thanks for the review, Marty.
Cheers,
Ron
2 - Marty Andrade
Yeah, he should not be proud of being able to lose his temper and throw things. Hopefully he learns self control. (that goes out to all actors)
3 - dietdoc
Marty writes: Hopefully he learns self control.
Reply: The first step in zelf-realization is to admit you have a problem. And, apparently, Russell has taken Step One . (wink wink)
Cheers,
Ron
4 - jarboy
despite having a carb face and behaving like an asshole, he is a decent actor. i just don't like the movies he's in.
5 - Eric Berlin
I fixed your Amazon code, Marty.
6 - Marty
eep...
What'd I do wrong?
7 - Temple Stark
Why do we care again whether actors act like louts? Why is it a bad thing? Seems to get people excited for a while and that's about all - except for the down side for the people directly involved.
8 - Victor Plenty
Some of us dislike giving our money to louts. All other things being equal, we'd prefer to see our entertainment dollars provide silk suits and luxury suites for people who are basically decent underneath it all.
That being said, I suppose it's possible Crowe is basically a decent fellow, underneath his loutish public persona; or that the entertainment press has traduced him.