Movie Review

Now Watching: Cinderella Man

"During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, James J. Braddock--a.k.a. the "Cinderella Man"--was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace who had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him--his family--was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. However Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man became the mythic athlete. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the disenfranchised on his shoulders, Braddock rocketed through the ranks, until this underdog chose to do the unthinkable: take on the heavyweight champ of the world, the unstoppable Max Baer, renowned for having killed two men in the ring." (Synopsis from Yahoo! movies)

Very rarely do I come away from a film in tears. And rarer still does a film leave me speechless. Cinderella Man did both. In the best way.

Russell Crowe leads the cast as James J. Braddock, a former boxing champion who is struggling to make a living during the Depression. Faced with the unthinkable idea of being forced to send his children away, Jim returns to the boxing ring in a desperate effort to keep his family together. Driven by love for his wife Mae, and their three children, he achieves what everyone thought to be impossible. Crowe portrays the emotion of this character superbly, and on more than one occasion brought me to tears. The supporting cast includes Renee Zellweger as Mae, and Paul Giamatti in the Oscar nominated role of Jim's friend and coach.

Thomas Newman scores the film, and delivers a powerful and emotional soundtrack that adds greatly to the drama of the story. The cinematography is excellent, and the fights are filmed so realistically that it makes you flinch as each blow is struck. Cinematographer Salvatore Totino even invented a new filmingapparatuss which is called the "tire-cam" to help create more realistic reactions from the first-person perspective. The camera was cushioned inside a tire and behind Plexiglas so that the boxers hit the tire and, as a result, the movement of the camera was truly realistic.

I have rarely seen a film so centered around family, loyalty, and selfless love. The relationship between Jim and Mae is truly amazing, as is the loyalty that they show to one another throughout the countless hardships they encounter. Jim's fierce desire to keep his family together through everything is heart-wrenching at times. After breaking his hand, Jim resorts to hiding the cast in shoe-polish in order to get work. When his daughter is hungry and there isn't enough food, he gives her his own. The fervent love that he shows for his wife and children is enough to bring a tear to anyone's eye.

There is also a strong set of morals at the roots of the story. Once, when faced with the fear of being sent away for lack of food, Jim's son steals a salami from the butcher's. When Jim finds out, he takes his son back to the butcher's to return the meat, and then tells him: "Just 'cause things ain't easy... that don't give you the excuse to take what's not yours, does it? That's stealing, right? And we don't steal. No matter what happens, we don't steal. Not ever."

Over all, Cinderella Man is a powerful and emotional film, and one that I would highly recommend. Well acted, wonderfully filmed, and with an excellent story of love and courage, Cinderella Man has to be one of the best films of 2005.

Rated PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language. Highly recommended.