An Unforgettable And Powerful Underdog Film

Rating: 10/10 (6 August 2013)

Cinderella Man is a film titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion,James J. Braddock.It is inspired by his life story.The movie stars Russell Crowe as Braddock together with Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti. Ron Howard directs.
The story follows a boxing champion who achieved his greatest success against the most daunting odds of his life. In the 1920's, James Braddock was a promising contender in professional boxing.Then he suffered a 1929 defeat in a bout with light heavyweight champ Tommy Loughran that sent his career into a serious tailspin. As Braddock's career in the ring dried up, the Great Depression put a stake through the heart of America's economy, and he found himself working at the New York docks for pitiful wages as he tried to support his wife, Mae and three children. Desperate for money, he turned to his former trainer and manager Joe Gould,who set him up battling John Griffin.Despite the fact that he was too old and out of shape,he managed to upset Griffin that paved a way to a surprising comeback on the ring.He became an became a tonic to struggling workers and unemployed people, and all eyes were on Braddock when in 1935 he took on powerful heavyweight champion Max Baer. In one of the biggest achievements in boxing history, he defeats the seemingly invincible opponent to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
This film is definitely ranks among the top boxing films ever made such as:Raging Bull, Million Dollar Baby and the Rocky movies.But compared to the movies mentioned previously,Cinderella Man is more powerful emotionally especially as an underdog story particularly.The Braddock- Baer fight was shot with sheer authenticity proves this point.Russell Crowe's portrayal makes Braddock fascinating and we are truly absorbed with the character that he plays and the situation that he was in during the hard times he experienced during The Great Depression and during his fight at the conclusion of the film.Overall,this is one great unforgettable and powerful underdog picture.