Cinderella Man (2005, DVD)

Movies about the sport of boxing are often very action- packed and memorable and they often feature a comeback story where the underdog ends up the champion when the final bell rings. The year 2004 brought us another boxing film and this one follows much of the same path of other films in its genre with a few slight differences. The movie is Cinderella Man, a Ron Howard film.

Movie Facts:

Rating: PG- 13
Format: Color
Director: Ron Howard
Screenplay/Writing Credits: Cliff Hollingsworth
Theatrical Release Date: June 3, 2005
Movie Length: 144 Minutes

Starring: Russell Crowe, Paul Giamatti, Renee Zellweger, Paddy Considine, Craig Bierko, David Huband, Connor Price, Linda Kash, Nicholas Campbell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Chuck Shamata, Gene Pyrz, Bruce McGill, Ariel Waller, Patrick Louis

Contents of This Movie:

Jim Braddock (played by Russell Crowe) is a man who has fought several boxing matches in his career but is considered by many to be too far past his prime to continue his winning ways. His wife Mae Braddock (played by Renee Zellweger) has always stood by his side and even though it is the 1930 s and depression era life is tough, she is happy that he has hung up his boxing gloves for good even though the possibility of winning a large purse and living the good life is always a possibility.

But Jim still has the passion to box and his trainer, Joe Gould (played by Paul Giamatti) feels that Jim can still throw punches with the big boys. He arranges a couple of fights for Jim and, much to everyone s surprise, Jim emerges victorious in spite of the odds being stacked so heavily against him.

With these victories, Jim finds himself in a position to achieve the ultimate prize: Heavyweight Champion of the World. His wins over a few other fighters have earned him the right to go for the gold. All he has to do is get past the current champion, Max Baer (played by Criag Bierko) and the heavyweight crown will transfer to him. But Baer is no ordinary fighter. He has knocked out most of his opponents and worse, he has killed two men in the ring after knocking their brains around so brutally.

Jim, his trainer, and his family all know he is a long shot to win this fight. But he has the support of the little people everywhere he goes. The downtrodden, the poor, and those who have nothing left to lose all view Jim Braddock as their personal hero. They are rooting for him to pull off the upset. But will this be enough to score a victory against such insurmountable odds? The experts have predicted that Braddock will get knocked out in the first two rounds and even Max Baer himself has suggested directly to Braddock that he should quit while he s ahead. But Braddock moves forward, ready to take on the champion in the fight of his life.

Final Thoughts:

Cinderella Man is a very good movie about the true- life story of a boxing underdog who came back against all odds and fought the world champion of the world. Most people felt that Braddock was too old at this point in his boxing career to have any hope of winning this fight, particularly against a man as tough as Max Baer. But Braddock proved them wrong, winning fight after fight against men who were younger and winning the opportunity to fight Baer in Madison Square Garden in front of a huge crowd.

This movie is loaded with action, both in and out of the ring. First, we have Paul Giamatti in the role as Jim s trainer, Joe Gould. He is a businessman and a smooth talker who has occasional doubts that Jim can still fight but who still promotes his man with a vengeance, explaining to promoters why he feels that Braddock deserves another chance at glory. In many parts of the film, Giamatti s emotion exceeds that of Crowe s and he keeps the movie interesting with his volatile nature.

Second, we have the action taking place inside the Braddock household between Jim and wife Mae. Renee Zellweger plays the role of Mae and she is quite good. She shows her support for husband Jim but she privately hopes that he will retire from this sport for good. She knows the reputation of Max Baer and she doesn t want to become a widow like the two other wives whose husbands died following a bout with the champ. She is concerned for Jim, for herself, and for the family. But like a good, supportive spouse, she comes through in the end and backs her husband on his big day.

Russell Crowe s Braddock character is very cool and collected considering what is taking place around him. He knows his wife wants him to quit and he knows she is right, to an extent. But his heart is in the ring and at this point, he really cannot back down. How would it look to the rest of the boxing world if he suddenly decided not to fight Baer? He really didn t have a choice at this point and in spite of Baer s taunts and trash- talking, he still remains cool, keeping his level of concentration on the upcoming fight.

I liked all of the performers in this movie. I can t really find anything to fault with any of them. Crowe is excellent in his role as Braddock who, according to things I have read about him, was very much like the man portrayed in the movie. Zellweger is great too, as always. Probably the greatest surprise is the excellent performance turned in by Paul Giamatti as Braddock s trainer. Giamatti is a veteran of the big screen and he has been in many memorable roles. But there is something unique about this one and his moving performance could net him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Besides the performances, Cinderella Man has many other positive points and chief among these is the message to continue to pursue one s dreams in spite of the odds. Braddock was struggling to make ends meet during this era (the Great Depression) and most people felt like he should quit fighting and get a regular job, like everyone else. He had been wealthy from past wins, but now had lost everything due to tough economic times. He was even forced to accept public assistance at one point to keep his family alive. But instead of taking what life had handed him, he got up, brushed himself off, and moved forward in pursuit of his goals. He also showed incredible courage. How many among us would have the guts to step into a boxing ring against a man who is known to have killed two others during a boxing match? Most people would have retired then and there; making up an excuse, if necessary, to avoid the humiliation. But Braddock goes ahead and agrees to the challenge.

Another great part of this movie is the directing, especially during the boxing match at the end of the movie. Ron Howard delivers once again, showing some of the punches in normal speed and some in slow motion. He also shows what the other guy must look like to a man who has just been bashed in the head dozens of times through the use of blurred vision and unclear images. You can just feel the tremendous forces of those fists as they bash against the opponent s faces and bodies. You can sense the physical pain that each man is experiencing when they walk back to their respective corners of the ring with their faces full of scratches and their noses dripping with blood. You can feel the sense of dizziness that the two guys are experiencing when Howard blurs the screen. The directing is near- perfect during this and other parts of the film and it leaves a lasting impression in your mind.

Ron Howard keeps things all in the family in this movie. His brother Clint Howard makes a brief appearance playing one of the referees and his father, Rance Howard, makes an appearance playing announcer Al Fazin. This movie was also a reunion of sorts for Howard and Russell Crowe. They were both responsible for the success of the 2001 Best Picture A Beautiful Mind so it shouldn t be surprising that the two men would team up once again to make another movie.

Overall, this is a very good movie that is inspirational as well as entertaining. Crowe, Giamatti, Zellweger, and the others all come through under the guiding hand of Ron Howard to create a memorable movie about the sport of boxing and the challenges that come with it. I don t rank it as my favorite boxing movie (that honor still belongs to Raging Bull ), but it still has enough positive qualities to earn it an easy recommendation.