phone-throwing man

Rating: 8/10 (9 December 2005)

it's difficult for me to make a well-informed assessment of this biopic about James Braddock, because i wasn't there. i'm an ardent history buff though, and i know something about the "dirty thirties" from anecdotes and text books.this was beautifully crafted with it's sepia tones and shadowed images, the presence of radios and the poverty that was so much a part of the decade. what powered this film was the great performance by Russell Crowe. if indeed Mr Braddock had this kind of class, Russell brought it forward with his toned down, self-effacing yet proud countenance. and once again, Paul Giamatti was terrific as his manager. Paul is always great and i'd love to see him get acknowledgment for his body of work. Renee Zellweger was OK too, surprisingly credible with black hair. i didn't watch any of Max Baer's fights, and i know nothing about him other than he was world champion and his son was Jethro on the BH's. but i can understand why his family would take exception to his portrayal as a man who enjoyed womanizing, was disrespectful of women and basically everyone, and relished killing people in the ring. did he? was he? one thing i've noticed about Ron Howard is how he glosses over things. he's all Hollywood, and really who can blame him? he grew up in it's milieu. he's no Fernando Meirelles or Terrance Malick and he doesn't pretend to be. Mr Howard likes to entertain, and he's such an amiable fellow, hard to resist. all in all, this is a better-than-average boxing movie about a gracious, classy, humble man who loved his family and represented the little guy who could. Quite a Stretch for Russell. not in the same league as Raging Bull (what is?)nor Million Dollar Baby, about as good as Somebody Up There Likes Me, better than the Rockies and Ali. i'd recommend it, for the performances, and the look and feel of the thirties. even though i knew how it ended, i still found myself cheering.