A fine boxing motion picture, very entertaining and sentimental

Rating: 9/10 (2 March 2006)

Crowe is perfectly likable as the 'Pride of New Jersey' and the champion of his wife's heart, being knocked down by the stock market crash of '29 and a broken right hand
Jim Braddock (Crowe) is compelled to feed his family with whatever work he could get on the Jersey docks However, thanks to a last minute cancellation and some effort by his close friend and longtime trainer, he found himself back in the ring Knowing now that the difference between winning and losing is how much food and warmth he can provide for his wife and kids, Jim finds the motivation that he needed to win the match
Crowe conveys with great sincerity the feeling of desperation of a humble man giving his all to his family and his profession as a boxer At his lowest moment, Braddock swallows the last of his pride and goes before the Boxing Federation who fired him from boxing (because he hasn't been winning, mostly due to injuries), begging them for pocket change to buy "milk" for his children In this powerful scene, we truly feel the harsh reality of those times
Crowe is tremendously appealing in scenes depicting his tender relationship with his children: His care while telling his hungry little daughter about his dream of a thick juice steak persuading her to eat his meager supper because he is too full to eat it, his love when promising his oldest son, Jay, he'll never send him away, no matter how bad things get
The supporting cast is exceptional:
Renee Zellwegger is very good as Braddock's adoring wife She is a soft-spoken blond, shy-eyed type, who remains strong no matter how much force is exerted against it, making do with watered-down milk Her need to let Jimmy fight, and to bring money to pay the bills, always gets shattered by her fear that one day he will walk out the door to leave her a widow
Paul Giamatti is terrific as the fast-talking boxing manager trying to keep up appearances of success amidst the depression
Craig Bierko amuses but terrifies as the much-feared Max Baer whose pleasant face masks the heart of a man who will do anything to win The film makes Baer out to be an arrogant figure, who enjoys beating and even killing his rivals in the ring Seeing Braddock's wife Mae, Baer utters, "She's too young to be a widow."
With dramatic images of the Depression Era, Howard's "The Cinderella Man" is a fine boxing motion picture, very entertaining and sentimental The boxing sequences are wonderfully photographed, bringing the audience right into the ring We can really feel the cool, oily, smoky sweatiness of the "world's most famous arena."