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532
Cinderella Man ...The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of
Pros
Russell Crowe. No ones needs to say more.
Cons
There is no completely naked shot of Russell Crowe.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
This is the story of Depression-era fighter and folk hero Jim Braddock. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.
This is the story of Depression-era fighter and folk hero Jim Braddock, who fought heavyweight champ Max Baer in a 15-round slugfest in 1935. This is the stuff that dreams are made of. This is an academy-award deserving movie, with a very talented Russell Crowe, who despite his media-related personality problems, always shines on the big screen.
I normally don't list the cast of the movie I am reviewing, but I feel the cast in Cinderella Man deserves mention.
Cast overview:
Russell Crowe Jim Braddock
Renee Zellweger Mae Braddock
Paul Giamatti Joe Gould
Craig Bierko Max Baer
Paddy Considine Mike Wilson
Bruce McGill Jimmy Johnston
David Huband Ford Bond
Connor Price Jay Braddock
Ariel Waller Rosemarie Braddock
Patrick Louis Howard Braddock
Rosemarie DeWitt Sara Wilson
Linda Kash Lucille Gould
Nicholas Campbell Sporty Lewis
Gene Pyrz Jake
Chuck Shamata Father Rorick
The Story
Ron Howard has a knack for balancing history with sentimentality, and he does so very well in Cinderella Man. This biography of a man who at the height of the Great Depression, gave hope to the hopeless and food for thought to the starving, is a phenomenal film.
The film opens depicting the earlier days of boxer James Braddock. He is making piles of cash, winning regularly at Madison Square Gardens. Braddock and his wife have a nice home, they are in love, and baby-making is at it's peak.
Cut to a few years later. The Great Depression has taken it's toll on the boxer and his family, and they are left with a dumpy little apartment which will have it's electricity turned off any day due to lack of payment. Braddock is looking forward to a fight in which even the loser will win $50. The fight is pathetic, Braddock breaks his hand and he is all washed up. Begging for shifts at the docks becomes a regular reality to Braddock. His wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) sends their hungry and sick children away to live with family until they can afford food and proper shelter.
Braddock is crushed and desperate. He resorts to taking welfare and begging for money to get his children back. He puts pride and dignity on the line for his family. No one thinks the less of him.
His manager, Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), is suffering as well. He offers Braddock a one-time fight as a replacement in a scheduled bout. Against all odds, he wins and in the desperate times he becomes front-page news. This begins his comeback as he becomes a wishful dreamer's phenomenon known as Cinderella Man. The press remains dumbfounded and the common people remain hopeful as Braddock fights for the title.
Max Baer (Craig Bierko) is the defending champion. He has killed two men in the ring, and while Braddock is unafraid, his wife is certainly worried for his safety. Does Braddock, against all odds, defeat the smug and obnoxious Baer to become Champion? You'll have to watch and see if you don't already know the history. I didn't, and I was glad of it.
My Thoughts
This film is a masterpiece in many ways. Russell Crowe, rugged and handsome as ever, proves to be the best actor of his generation. If there was any doubt, there should no longer be. He becomes his part, he becomes a believable boxing champion, he IS Cinderella Man. We see and feel every bead of sweat, every punch, and every well-defined muscle.
When I left the theatre I found myself wishing for more depth to Crowe's character, but then I realized that he was uniquely simplistic. He loved his family and he was willing to risk his life for them. It's cut and dry because Braddock was cut and dry, and Crowe depicts this perfectly.
Zellweger is becoming more and more strange in her appearance and her public interviews in my opinion, but she portrays Mrs. Braddock perfectly. Her shining love for her husband and children are never in doubt. We love this couple as much as they love each other.
Craig Bierko makes for an excellent Max Baer. We love to hate him, he seethes everything a villain needs to be, and casting him was a brilliant move.
The scenery is perfect. The costumes are phenomenal. Although the film reeks of Hollywood gloss and heart-bleeding, the beauty of it is, it's true. It's not 'fairy-tale feel-good.' I've seen no better combination of history and sentiment in a film, and I can think of no one better than Crowe to deliver the most dazzling performance I've ever seen. He is that good. This film is that good. See it. 5 Stars.
I normally don't list the cast of the movie I am reviewing, but I feel the cast in Cinderella Man deserves mention.
Cast overview:
Russell Crowe Jim Braddock
Renee Zellweger Mae Braddock
Paul Giamatti Joe Gould
Craig Bierko Max Baer
Paddy Considine Mike Wilson
Bruce McGill Jimmy Johnston
David Huband Ford Bond
Connor Price Jay Braddock
Ariel Waller Rosemarie Braddock
Patrick Louis Howard Braddock
Rosemarie DeWitt Sara Wilson
Linda Kash Lucille Gould
Nicholas Campbell Sporty Lewis
Gene Pyrz Jake
Chuck Shamata Father Rorick
The Story
Ron Howard has a knack for balancing history with sentimentality, and he does so very well in Cinderella Man. This biography of a man who at the height of the Great Depression, gave hope to the hopeless and food for thought to the starving, is a phenomenal film.
The film opens depicting the earlier days of boxer James Braddock. He is making piles of cash, winning regularly at Madison Square Gardens. Braddock and his wife have a nice home, they are in love, and baby-making is at it's peak.
Cut to a few years later. The Great Depression has taken it's toll on the boxer and his family, and they are left with a dumpy little apartment which will have it's electricity turned off any day due to lack of payment. Braddock is looking forward to a fight in which even the loser will win $50. The fight is pathetic, Braddock breaks his hand and he is all washed up. Begging for shifts at the docks becomes a regular reality to Braddock. His wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) sends their hungry and sick children away to live with family until they can afford food and proper shelter.
Braddock is crushed and desperate. He resorts to taking welfare and begging for money to get his children back. He puts pride and dignity on the line for his family. No one thinks the less of him.
His manager, Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), is suffering as well. He offers Braddock a one-time fight as a replacement in a scheduled bout. Against all odds, he wins and in the desperate times he becomes front-page news. This begins his comeback as he becomes a wishful dreamer's phenomenon known as Cinderella Man. The press remains dumbfounded and the common people remain hopeful as Braddock fights for the title.
Max Baer (Craig Bierko) is the defending champion. He has killed two men in the ring, and while Braddock is unafraid, his wife is certainly worried for his safety. Does Braddock, against all odds, defeat the smug and obnoxious Baer to become Champion? You'll have to watch and see if you don't already know the history. I didn't, and I was glad of it.
My Thoughts
This film is a masterpiece in many ways. Russell Crowe, rugged and handsome as ever, proves to be the best actor of his generation. If there was any doubt, there should no longer be. He becomes his part, he becomes a believable boxing champion, he IS Cinderella Man. We see and feel every bead of sweat, every punch, and every well-defined muscle.
When I left the theatre I found myself wishing for more depth to Crowe's character, but then I realized that he was uniquely simplistic. He loved his family and he was willing to risk his life for them. It's cut and dry because Braddock was cut and dry, and Crowe depicts this perfectly.
Zellweger is becoming more and more strange in her appearance and her public interviews in my opinion, but she portrays Mrs. Braddock perfectly. Her shining love for her husband and children are never in doubt. We love this couple as much as they love each other.
Craig Bierko makes for an excellent Max Baer. We love to hate him, he seethes everything a villain needs to be, and casting him was a brilliant move.
The scenery is perfect. The costumes are phenomenal. Although the film reeks of Hollywood gloss and heart-bleeding, the beauty of it is, it's true. It's not 'fairy-tale feel-good.' I've seen no better combination of history and sentiment in a film, and I can think of no one better than Crowe to deliver the most dazzling performance I've ever seen. He is that good. This film is that good. See it. 5 Stars.
