Cinderella Man (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Director Ron Howard lays out the rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story of Jim Braddock in 'Cinderella Man'. Jim faces multiple injuries, the Great Depression, & the possible resurgence of a career once lost. This fairy tale is a real life Cinderella story. In typical Ron Howard fashion, this is a meat & potatoes film; nothing flashy or controversial. Some may criticize its lack of flair when compared to another 2005 film, Crash. I think Crash is astoundingly good. But 'Cinderella Man' is just the type of film that the Oscars typically loves. I hope it's not forgotten come February. It is a truly inspiring film that nearly brought tears to my eyes.
It is 1929, & James 'Bull Dog of Bergen, New Jersey' Braddock (Russell Crowe) has just won a string of fights. He & his family are happy, healthy, & moderately wealthy. His loyal manager, Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), is also reaping rewards in his prodigy's victories. The stock market crashes, & we're thrust forward 5 yrs. into the middle of the Great Depression. Braddock faces bad luck, right-hand breaks, & a string of heart-breaking losses in the ring. He, his devoted wife (Renee Zellweger), and kids, are living in near-squalor on the streets of Hoboken. Here, Braddock scours the docks for day-to-day work, hoping to bring home enough money to pay for heat, electric, food, & milk. His oldest son, Jay, realizing their precarious situation even resorts to stealing salami for the family. Jim resorts to gathering change from his pals, & then has to go to Emergency Relief office for further money. Howard does a great job at showing the deplorable state that Braddock, & thousands of other people experienced in the tumultuous 1930's.
But then, Braddock's luck starts to change. Joe Gould pushes promoter, Jimmy Johnston (Bruce McGill), to get Jim into some exhibition fights as a way to resurrect a comeback. One tiny victory leads to another, & before you know it, he's claimed a spot to fight in the Heavyweight Championship against the deadly (literally) Max Baer (Craig Bierko). In a time & place where there was little to get jazzed over, the eager public found boxing to be a rare relief from the poor conditions they dwelled in. Boxers inspired the public to fight against adversity & overcome obstacles. The entire movie builds to this one fight & it does not disappoint. I was enraptured in every second; on the edge of my seat with anticipation of what blow would come next. Without divulging the outcome, I can say that Braddock put all his years of suffering out in that ring and fought with nothing but raw determination & heart; it is riveting to watch.
The cinematography, editing, & sound team are particularly impressive if you look at the technical side of this film. Every hue of color, intense blow to the head or ribs, & ring-between-your-ears moment is executed brilliantly. On the directorial side, Howard does a great job of making Russell's Braddock a human, and yet, highly heroic figure. Russell Crowe wholly impresses me, once again. Ron Howard also does a great job keeping Zellweger grounded in her role as worrisome wife (she wouldn't even go to his fights, or listen to the radio broadcasts). And Paul Giamatti is his usual wonderful self in whichever supporting role comes his way, although this portrayal may have been slightly over-the-top for me.
In the end, I am touched by how Braddock prevails during his stretch of slovenly years. Jim could easily give up, throw in the towel, & fall into the despair that surrounds him everywhere, but he fights against it. I also marvel at how loyal & proud Mae is of Jim's feats. And I love how the point of him fighting is not for glory, but for how to provide for his loving family.
It is 1929, & James 'Bull Dog of Bergen, New Jersey' Braddock (Russell Crowe) has just won a string of fights. He & his family are happy, healthy, & moderately wealthy. His loyal manager, Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), is also reaping rewards in his prodigy's victories. The stock market crashes, & we're thrust forward 5 yrs. into the middle of the Great Depression. Braddock faces bad luck, right-hand breaks, & a string of heart-breaking losses in the ring. He, his devoted wife (Renee Zellweger), and kids, are living in near-squalor on the streets of Hoboken. Here, Braddock scours the docks for day-to-day work, hoping to bring home enough money to pay for heat, electric, food, & milk. His oldest son, Jay, realizing their precarious situation even resorts to stealing salami for the family. Jim resorts to gathering change from his pals, & then has to go to Emergency Relief office for further money. Howard does a great job at showing the deplorable state that Braddock, & thousands of other people experienced in the tumultuous 1930's.
But then, Braddock's luck starts to change. Joe Gould pushes promoter, Jimmy Johnston (Bruce McGill), to get Jim into some exhibition fights as a way to resurrect a comeback. One tiny victory leads to another, & before you know it, he's claimed a spot to fight in the Heavyweight Championship against the deadly (literally) Max Baer (Craig Bierko). In a time & place where there was little to get jazzed over, the eager public found boxing to be a rare relief from the poor conditions they dwelled in. Boxers inspired the public to fight against adversity & overcome obstacles. The entire movie builds to this one fight & it does not disappoint. I was enraptured in every second; on the edge of my seat with anticipation of what blow would come next. Without divulging the outcome, I can say that Braddock put all his years of suffering out in that ring and fought with nothing but raw determination & heart; it is riveting to watch.
The cinematography, editing, & sound team are particularly impressive if you look at the technical side of this film. Every hue of color, intense blow to the head or ribs, & ring-between-your-ears moment is executed brilliantly. On the directorial side, Howard does a great job of making Russell's Braddock a human, and yet, highly heroic figure. Russell Crowe wholly impresses me, once again. Ron Howard also does a great job keeping Zellweger grounded in her role as worrisome wife (she wouldn't even go to his fights, or listen to the radio broadcasts). And Paul Giamatti is his usual wonderful self in whichever supporting role comes his way, although this portrayal may have been slightly over-the-top for me.
In the end, I am touched by how Braddock prevails during his stretch of slovenly years. Jim could easily give up, throw in the towel, & fall into the despair that surrounds him everywhere, but he fights against it. I also marvel at how loyal & proud Mae is of Jim's feats. And I love how the point of him fighting is not for glory, but for how to provide for his loving family.