Uplifting Film Powered By Unconventional Story!

Rating: 9/10 (3 June 2005)

Two years ago, during the summer of 2003, I was working at a movie theater in my home town. "Seabiscuit" was playing and this particular showing was on a run-of-the-mill Wednesday night. As the show was breaking, I opened the door to the house and saw the ending and the audience applauding. The result was the same when I saw the film a week prior on a Sunday afternoon. The new film, "Cinderella Man," had the same effect on the audience the night I saw it. The movie is so inspiring and uplifting in the classic sense of Hollywood splendor, that one finds themselves moved to tears and cheering on the hero of the show. What makes this unique is the fact that this audience is in a movie theater. What we see on the screen is not live. Yet we feel transformed to Madison Square Garden during that amazing night in June of 1935 when James J. Braddock took on Max Baer for the Championship of the World. It is as close to the real thing as we can get these daysand what an experience it is at that. It is what makes going to the movies so magical.
"Cinderella Man" tells the story of once great boxer Jim Braddock played masterfully by Russell Crowe. Early on in his career, Braddock made lots of dough and was adored by family and fans. But after the stock market crash and during the Great Depression, his career goes down the tubes and his abilities dwindle as a fighter. He struggles to find work at the pier and to keep his family fed. It leads to desperate measures on the part of his son to stealing salami from a butcher, his wife sending their children to relatives because they cannot afford to take care of them, to Braddock having to beg for cash. After a time, Braddock's old manager Joe (Paul Giamatti) comes to him with an opportunity by chance to make some quick cash in the ring. Since
Braddock realizes the hardships he has faced, he takes the opportunity for exactly what it isan opportunity. To him, it is more than just a fight or something he loves; it is a chance to see Madison Square Garden again, a chance to hear the roar of the crowd. And a chance to show his children that he still has what it takes to be a champ. Braddock wins the fight and amazes the audience who barely remembered his existence. He generates a comeback and starts to win fights regardless of his age or condition. This is because his reasons for boxing have changed, "This time around I know what I'm fightin' formilk!" He has a family and needs to support them. However, the chances become far more dangerous when Braddock is asked to fight against Max Bear, a boxer who killed two men in the ring with his power punches to the head. Regardless of the danger, Braddock agrees to go ahead with the fight, even against his wife's urges to get out of it. It all leads to a stirring finally that will leave the audience breathless and emotional.
One of the film's most touching moments comes when Braddock realizes that his wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) has sent their children away to relatives because they can no longer afford to take care of them. He is deeply upset because he has made a promise to his son that no matter how bad things would get, he would never send the children away. As a desperate measure, he goes to see his old bosses and asks for any money they can spare. He holds out his hat and most drop some coins or a few dollars in. We see Crowe's face at this point, his eyes welling up. You feel his humility and how pathetic his existence has become by begging for money. And yet, he is not a beggar. He simply has nothing left and it is easy to sympathize with him.
There are excellent uses of cinematography in this picture. As the film opens, the camera shots are steady as we see Braddock as a winner in his early days, living in a nice home in New Jersey with plen ty of worldly possessions. Then, as we see Braddock and his family living in a slum apartment, the camera shots become shaky and convey the lack of stability in his life. Some great moments of editing occur during scenes where Braddock gets injured. There is a slow motion shot of the blow to the body. Then the screen goes white momentarily with an ex-ray shot of Braddock,conveying the severity of the pain.
What truly makes "Cinderella Man" go beyond the predictable aspect of an uplifting story is Braddock's merit for his comeback. He is no longer fighting with his passion for the sport or to gain a higher place in society. He fights so his children can eat and be brought up in a home with heat. What began as a man motivated by passion brought down by ability and circumstance, becomes a man motivated by the ability to exist and provide for his family. That, in and of itself, is the true greatness of this film. (***1/2 out of ****)