surprised, actually.

Rating: 7/10 (11 September 2006)

I began watching this and was completely roped in. From that opening shot, the grainy black and white photo of the boxer's jaw jutting at an impossible angle, and the it rocked right into live action. Also that opening quote about Jim Braddock was dang near perfect. I actually don't even like boxing movies, but there was something about Russell Crowes performance that was really solid and made you feel for him and the plight of his family. I think that's where it did get a bit thin for me -- the family dynamic. The kids really could have been drawn more fully -- but now that I write about it, it does't seem right. That probably would have only seemed like a easy way to make the audience feel pity. Speaking of family.... WHy does' Ron Howard keep putting his goofy brother in all his movies? Is that guy getting enough residuals from starring as a kid actor in GENTLE BEN? I don't know what that bothers me so much, perhaps because it takes me right out of the movie, makes me sit up and say, Oh, there's that goofy brother of Ron Howards again.... I'm sniping. I did like this movie. Good storytelling and Giamatti is fantastic -- He's so solid in everything he does.