An astounding, inspiring film from Russell Crowe!

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2005)

Chris Rock actually said it best during his opening monologue 3 1/2 months ago at the Kodak Theatre. "If you're doing a movie about the past, you bet's to get Russell's ass."
When I left the sneak preview screening on Sunday afternoon, my expectations were not just met, they where exceeded and then some. I'm ashamed now for doubting this film at all, and I did. The cast looked too perfect, the trailer too manufactured to win Oscars and a crew and tech team to die for. It looked too good to be true. Well, it IS that good. Cinderella MAN is hands down the best film I have seen in 4 years. And in the theatre today, I was not alone in that thought. The entire packed theatre could be seen to be sniffing and wiping away tears at multiple points in the film, cheering and clapping for Braddock all the way and on the absolute edge of their seat for the entire final fight. I knew how is was going to end, and I my heart felt like it was going to have an attack. The guy next to me was dodging the punches with Crowe. The film is that good.
The entire cast gives great performances all around and there are definitely noms heading towards Zellweger and Giamatti. Paul G., for that matter has a real shot at the win, and right now hes easily the front runner, helped by being snubbed for his turn as Miles last year in the wine-road-trip flick SIDEWAYS. Can the Academy give Best Supporting Actor to boxing trainers two years in a row? It is definitely possible. Especially if Giamatti can ride the wave of Cinderella MAN love which I guarantee will be rejuvenated by a timely December DVD release and maybe even a return to the theatres. But ultimately, like every film he's in, this picture is about Russell Crowe. What more can you say about an actor you goes from bad cop to gladiator, schizophrenic math genius to 19th-century ship captain, and then to a real-life boxer from 1930's New Jersey? What can you say? Possibly Oscar number two. Russell Crowe commands the film from start to finish and you can't help but notice that his marriage and new son have really loosened him up and actually probably helped him get into this role, a character you can't help but love and cheer for.
The sets, cinematography and costumes are all Oscar worthy and will most likely land nominations. And Thomas Newman has a nomination in the bag and a huge shot at the win hes been depraved of for like the last 10 years. Newman's win for Best Score is extremely probable even if Cinderella MAN fails to win Best Picture or anything else come this March. He'll probably receive the win as a consolation prize if CM doesn't land anything else a la FINDING NEVERLAND this year. And the lighting for the film is so rich and the best work I've seen since the first couple of seasons of The West Wing.
My only complaint about the film is that Craig Beirko's Max Baer, the "villian" of the flick who actually really did kill two men in the ring in the 1930's was at times, a little over-the-top in the "I'm the bad guy" department. The thing is, even with him hating Braddock a little too much, the rest of the film is so solid that we don't really care at all.
Russell Crowe's second Oscar (which he really should have won in 2001 for ABM) is not a given -- nor is Cinderella MAN winning Best Picture come March 3rd. There are a number of hurdles. For one, it has to keep buzz and be remembered in awards season. And two, it has to generate a respectable box-office. However, people who see this movie will not stay quiet. And Universal knows this. Why put out 739 sneak peaks on Sunday if you don't think people will talk about how awesome your film is? People are going to talk. And already it has flat-out raves from all the biggest trade papers -- Variety and The Hollywood Reporter -- as well has Ebert and Roeper giving it "Two thumbs, way, WAY, up". Buzz for this film is going to be huge and if the big applause at the end of my screening was any indication, this one could go all the way. It has the cast, it has the size, and it has a heart the size of Madison Square Gardens.
If Steven Spielberg's VENGEANCE or Rob Marshall's MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA aren't big hits, then this is your winner for 2005's Best Picture Oscar.
Cheers, Joshua Lawson