Second best boxing movie, ever!

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2005)

Falling just behind Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull," "Cinderella Man" is a magnificent masterpiece accurately depicting the life of Jim Braddock, the story of a man who was on top of the boxing world, fell to the Depression, and was able to build himself up to fight again for his family and his friends. Ron Howard did an extraordinary job of portraying Braddock's life and the Great Depression. Using unique and new camera angles that show not only the boxer's perspective of the fight, but also those of the audience, Howard made the film seem very neat and always kept you watching and wondering what was going to happen next. He also used much of that new amateur-like style of filming with the camera, making the shots unsteady and trembling to build up tension in the audience, almost as if the camera itself is an audience member trying to see the fight and what the opponents are doing when in their corners. And although much of the film's fight scenes are greatly inspired and "copied" off of "Raging Bull," Howard was able to make them seem new and different with the incorporation technology and his own filming style.
Russell Crowe, after watching this movie, is one of the few great actors we have left who knows how to choose a good movie and make the character seem real. His portrayal of Jim Braddock is no different. Once in the depression, the audience is supposed to truly feel bad for him as he tries to survive without money and a job. Crowe does this very well and is able to look the part as well, much like he did in "A Beautiful Mind" in some scenes. He then further builds on his performance when in the ring, appearing exhausted at times, and strong at others. He also appears much like any other normal man who knows what he has to do and how he has to do it. Paul Giamatti plays Braddock's trainer and manager, Joe Gould, and does a fabulous job doing it. At times he is the "comic relief," being able to take a crappy situation and make it funny. But, he is then able to take that attitude and push it aside as he becomes worried or anxious when Braddock is in the ring, knowing it is his fault if anything happens. Renee Zellweger also does a good job portraying Jim Braddock's wife, Mae. Although not as good as Crowe, she does a wonderful job making the audience feel her pain as she is concerned before and after every fight for Braddock's health. One also feels her pain when she tries to bring up her family in the middle of the Depression with no money and a very small house, relying on her husband to hopefully get some work and bring home some money. One final note on performances, Craig Bierko plays Max Baer, the heavyweight champion Braddock has to face in 1935, and does a good job doing it. He is just the guy you love to hate as you watch the movie and is very creepy and evil like.
All in all, "Cinderella Man" is an awesome movie that everyone should see before they die, regardless of if they like boxing or not. It is a film that accurately portrays the life of one of America's greatest men who brought inspiration and hope to those who had nothing.