What a fight!

Rating: 9/10 (20 November 2008)

James Braddock is a fine boxer in 1928.Soon he's not that anymore and he has to struggle for living as the Great Depression arrives.He has a family to support and eventually he has to get back in the Ring.This movie is based on the life of James J.Braddock.Ron Howard is the director of Cinderella Man (2005).Some of the other family members can be seen there.His father Rance Howard plays Announcer Al Fazin while the brother Clint Howard plays Referee.Russell Crowe gives one of his finest performances in the lead.Renée Zellweger is amazing as the wife Mae Braddock.Paul Giamatti plays the manager Joe Gould and he does a terrific job.And so does Graig Bierko as the German boxer Max Baer.There's also Bruce McGill playing Jimmy Johnston and he's great.This movie gives a great portray of the 1930's and the Great Depression.It shows us the fight of Jim Braddock out of poverty into a champion.The movie is kind of like Rocky of the Depression era.The fighting scenes look as authentic in this movie as they do in the Rocky franchise.Boxing is not a pretty sport but it does look good on screen.