A Nice Fairy Tale.

Rating: 8/10 (6 June 2005)

Fresh on the heels of the recent release and Academy Award victory of Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby", comes yet another boxing movie, which like the latter title, more than just showcases the dynamics of the sport, but also takes a jab at the human elements of hardship, sacrifice, determination and ambition. The physical action taking place within the ring, almost serves as a metaphor to the inner battles confronted by the title character.
Directed by Ron Howard, the film depicts the true-life story of boxer Jim Braddock as he fought his way out from a depression-torn existence, which not only impacted himself but the entire nation as well, as he became both a role model and savior to everyone who followed his plight.
Russell Crowe stars as Jim, a successful contender and loyal family man who becomes disqualified from the boxing ring due to a hand injury. This can't come at a worst time as the city of New York is gripped by overwhelming unemployment and poverty. With a wife and three children to provide for, he is forced to move from a cozy home to a ramshackle "hole in the wall". Jim heads out to the docks everyday, in the hopes of putting in a day's labor which would ensure continuing income and food on the table. But job positions are sparse, and Jim's family sinks even deeper into financial ruins.
One of the most effective and stirring scenes occurs when Jim, setting aside his pride and dignity, wanders into a room and tearfully pleads for a handout, so that his family can survive that much longer. The ensuing reception he receives is both unexpected and heartwarming.
Becoming increasingly more despondent, Jim asks his manager (Paul Giamatti) for a second chance to return to the ring, and reluctantly, he is offered a deal. From there, we see him evolve from low-paying fights, until he finally reaches the prize winning title, a title that comes at too high a cost. It turns out that Jim must compete against Max Baer (Craig Bierko), an arrogant womanizer, who has become infamous for having already killed two men in the ring. Despite many people's warnings and misgivings, Jim still remains determined to risk it all.
Renee Zellweger turns in a solid performance as Mae, Jim's reluctant yet supportive wife. Her anguish and worry over her husband's safety is very apparent, and you truly find yourself relating to her turmoil and anxiety during the course of the final fight.
The children are good without having to rely on overacting or being too cutesy, and it was a good choice to cast relative "unknowns" rather than resorting to more conventional, Hollywood-manufactured child stars.
I admit to never being much of a fan of Russell Crowe, nor have I ever bothered to see any of his previous films, perhaps due to his oft reported personal disposition, or simply due to ignorant prejudice on my part. Whatever the reasons may be, I must praise his performance in this instance. He masterfully embodied the essence of Jim Braddock. His gentleness and soft-spoken manner blended perfectly with his strong reserve and physical strength, combining together to create a perfect display of loyalty and perseverance.
Overall, this is an uplifting film which gets its audience involved throughout each the physical and emotional sequences, with a mixture of both cheers and tears.