If you have seen ’’Seabiscuit’’ or ’’A Beautiful Mind’’
watching ’’Cinderella Man’’ will give you a distinct
sense of deja vu`.
It’s about people (ok ok animals too) who overcome
personal and/or circumstantial problems and triumph in
the end of course with the movie ending at the precise
moment of triumph.
The movie begins with Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) at the
peak of his boxing career living a comfortable life with his
wife Mae(Renee Zelwegger) and 3 kids.
Here the director takes time to establish that Jim is a loving
family man with a wife who never attends his fights cos she is
terrified of all the battering.
Then the Great Depression hits and Braddock’s investments in
stock market are wiped out and he and his family are reduced
to living in a rundown apartment in NJ.
Braddock shatters his right hand in a fight and the boxing council
cancels his licence since he is now deemed as an embarassment to
them for his defensive fighting.
He is reduced to working on the docks for a living where he uses
his left hand more (due to his injured right) and unknowingly
develops his left hook.
Jim still remains a loving fmaily man promising his eldest son
that he will never send his children away to live with relatives
who are better off.
The heat and light is turned off since they have no money
to pay the bills and in his absence Mae sends the kids to
stay with her sister. This leads to the most moving scene in
the film (and I really mean moving) where Jim goes to the chambers
of the boxing council where sit all the boxing brass and begs for money
to help him pay the bills.
Then his manager Jack Gould (Paul Giammati) gets him a fight
against a title contender, cos the actual opponent could not fight,
as a last minute replacement.
Not surprisingly he beats the contender and the next and the next
till he is up against the reigning champ Max Baer who has killed
two men in the ring in previous fights with fatal head punches.
Not only is he labelled ’’Cinderella Man’’ but he is hailed as an
inspiration to all during the hard times of the depression.
I think most of you will guess what happens in the climactic title
fight so I will leave the story here.
The high point of this movie is its impeccable casting.
As I watched I could not imagine anyone else playing
Jim Braddock better than Russell Crowe. Paul Giamatti
as his manager Jack Gould (pop pop BAM!!) is also perfect. I hope at least he
gets his Oscar this year.
As far as boxing movies go I have seen only the Rocky series.
I have not seen Scorcese’s ’’Raging Bull’’ or Eastwoods much touted
’’Million $ baby’’. This movie relies more on quick edits and sound
effects to get the fight effect which in the final fight does get on
the nerves a bit.
’’Cinderella Man’’ will be surely be nominated and might
win a few Oscars as well or like ’’The Passion of Christ’’
be wiped from public memory come Oscar season.
Fact: The movie shows Max Baer as a man without remorse for the two
fighters he has killed in the ring. In real life, he was psychologically shattered after the deaths and went into deep depression. I wish the movie makers would not put
down one great fighter to glorify another.