solid Depression Era drama

Rating: 7/10 (9 July 2005)

Although the comparisons may not be entirely obvious at first, could it be that Ron Howard's "Cinderella Man" is actually a sly, under-the-radar remake of "Seabiscuit" - albeit with a boxer rather than a racehorse as its inspirational underdog character? In a performance of immense restraint and subtlety, Russell Crowe plays James J Braddock, a Depression era fighter who, at one point, was so hard up that he could barely afford to feed his wife and three small children. For awhile it seemed as if Braddock was all washed up as a boxer, a has-been whose body seemed incapable of taking any further punishment and whose glory days all lay behind him. However, when his luck turned and he began to make a comeback in the ring, knocking off one sure-bet opponent after another, Braddock caught the imagination of a suffering nation, becoming in many ways a symbol of hope and renewal for the beleaguered, downtrodden, out-of-work masses who flocked to his bouts or listened to them enraptured on the radio at home. It was for this reason that he was dubbed Cinderella Man by an astute and appreciative newspaper columnist.
Let us say, first of all, that Braddock was no Jake La Motta, either in the ring or out. From what we see of him in the film, Braddock was a kind, gentle man who loved his wife and tried to be the best father he could to his adoring children. It is always more difficult to weave an interesting drama around a "good" character than a "bad" one, and Howard's film can't always overcome that limitation. Frequently the film feels a mite softer and less hard-edged than we would like it to be, more "Rocky" than "Raging Bull." Still, I guess the makers of the film were simply trying to remain true to their subject and for that they are to be commended. The scenes between Crowe and Renee Zellweger as Mae, Braddock's concerned but supportive wife, serve as the fulcrum that keeps the story balanced and interesting. Ditto for the relationship between Braddock and Joe Gould, his devoted manager, beautifully played by Paul Giamatti. We also see Braddock instilling a strong sense of moral values into his children despite the harsh conditions under which they live. For "Cinderella Man" effectively conveys just how difficult life was for many ordinary Americans in the 1930's, just how close to starvation many of them came in their daily struggle with poverty. Braddock's tale is emblematic of life in that difficult era.
Howard generates a tremendous amount of suspense in his closing scenes in which Braddock challenges the world's reigning champ, Max Baer, in a bout in Madison Square Garden Garden. Howard brilliantly intercuts between the boxers, the fans and Mae, who is listening to the fight on the radio at home, terrified that her beloved husband may not survive the bout.
Thus, despite the occasionally lackluster storytelling and overindulgence in sentimentality, "Cinderella Man" scores as a moving tribute to a decent man who never gave up.