Excellent.

Rating: 8/10 (23 September 2008)

An interesting story about an interesting man.
This is a nice true story about a boxer who was decent, likable and honest. That in itself makes it unusual for a boxing film.
The acting is excellent, Crowe is on fine form and nails the character being equally believable when he is on top of the world or when he is beat down and desperate and everything in between. The supporting cast almost all deliver fine realistic performances with Giamatti being especially good.
The one issue with the acting, or casting, is Renée Zellweger. It is quite distracting to see someone with no facial movement trying to emote, the best she manages is to crinkle her eyes and look like she is in pain.
The writing is good with the plot flowing at speed always showing the darkness of the era but not trying to bludgeon us into depression, the dialogue at times is snappy and funny and at other times is genuinely touching.
Braddock does seem to have been an exceptional man pushed to the limits by hard times and it is easy to like him.
The fight scenes are very well choreographed with the brutality of extreme close up being interspersed with commentary, tactics and other extraneous detail.
All in all a great film, not mind-blowing but good to watch.