Howard successfully transcends the formula that originally bound him

Rating: 8/10 (13 June 2005)

Cinderella Man reviewed by Sam Osborn of www.samseescinema.com
rating: 3.5 out of 4
Director: Ron Howard Cast: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko Screenplay: Cliff Hollingsworth, Akiva Goldsman MPAA Classification: PG-13 (intense boxing violence and some language)
Here in America, everybody loves an underdog story. And since Brando said those fateful words in the back of a car in On the Waterfront, "I coulda been a contender!", boxing has been the all-American sport. Some will argue that baseball rules the cinema as the "American" ballgame. but boxing is the clear winner. What could be more American? Fans, gamblers, moms, dads, bookies and all surround a small roped-off area where two specimens of the American Dream beat the fleshy pulp out of each other until one of them drops, out cold upon the mat. And with Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger at the helm of a 30's depression era backdrop, director Ron Howard has used this love of the underdog and love of the sport to form this all-American formula that fuels his Cinderella Man.
I must admit, initially I was skeptical of this film. Because, come on, we've all seen this film before. But wait! That's where I was wrong, kind of. The formula's still there, pumping away each frame of the film, but Ron Howard manages to transcend the formula and make Cinderella Man more than its underdog story of an aging boxer. In fact, many of the best scenes don't involve the sport at all. Cinderella Man succeeds in that it's a story of a man struggling to keep his family above water, struggling to keep his dignity, and doing it the only way he can.
The film opens at the end of James Braddock's (Russell Crowe) first reign in the boxing world. His coach, Jim Gould (Paul Giamatti), has placed him in a fight that gives him the chance to increase his purse back up to $75 per match. The increase in pay would do wonders for the state of living his family has degraded to. His wife, Mae (Renee Zellweger), and his three kids live in an apartment in Jersey with the overdue bills have piled up. Unfortunately, James loses his match in the most embarrassing of ways. It's so bad that his license to fight is revoked. To make matters worse, his right hand's been broken, making his sporadic shifts at the docks a fight to keep his injury hidden. But the injury turns out to be something of a blessing. Because he can't use his right hand, James strengthens up what's usually his weak arm in the ring, making him a brutal force with both hands. A few months later, after having to send the kids off to live at a relative's house, Gould offers James one more fight. He doesn't have the license back, it's just a one night stand in the ring. To the surprise of everyone, even himself, Braddock wins the fight, making headline news and starting the uphill battle for the sport yet again.
The problem with Cinderella Man is that if you've seen the preview you know the story of the film up until the climax. From there, you can figure out the ending based simply on the title. It's no secret. But that's not the point of Cinderella Man. The point is in studying the character of James Braddock. There's great humanity in his story. Howard smartly decides to steer the story away from boxing and focus mainly on the family's interaction with the time period. And the time period Howard creates is nothing less than flawless.
Cinderella Man is of course set in the American Depression era, with all but a lucky few down on their luck and struggling to keep a decent lifestyle. Howard emphasizes this lifestyle with a great visual style that borders on Film Noir. There's a gorgeous, most memorable shot, where the boxing ring is lit by a spotlight from afar in the far left side of frame. Surrounding the ring are dimly lit droves of people, all seeming to crush closer and closer to the ring. On the right side of shot, strikingly close, is the silhouette of a common man in a hat and suit, watching the show as the audience is, completely entranced. It's this sort of dramatic time period visuals that fuels the emotional power of the film.
And completely entranced is what we are throughout the film. Because between the story of Braddock's home life, we're treated to some true achievements in boxing film. Particularly the final fight brings us to the very edge of our seat. And even knowing how the film will end, Howard still manages to keep us on our toes, sweating and twitching in our seat like Braddock's coach Joe Gould beside the ring.
By the end of the film we feel satisfied. It's a feel-good film, but not in the cheesy way Miracle was last years. It's feel-good in that we feel alright leaving Braddock to return to his family in Jersey, knowing he's got the cash in his pocket to pay the bills and his dignity still holed up inside. Howard has brought us through Braddock's most important time of his life and immersed us in it through brilliant direction, great acting, and a screenplay worthy of awards. As I said before, Howard successfully transcends the formula that originally bound him. -Sam Osborn of www.samseescinema.com