Unfair to Max Baer

Rating: 6/10 (19 June 2005)

This film is definitely worth seeing, but is also definitely NOT in the class of "A Beautiful Mind." While I'm usually a Russell Crowe fan (as an actor, that is), I wasn't overly impressed with his performance, although I think he did a good job. As someone from New Jersey, I was particularly impressed with Zellweger's dead-on accent, which made her sound like my Aunt! That being said, I was stunned at the "poetic license" taken in a completely unfair portrayal of Max Baer. I don't think anything I've ever read or seen has ever portrayed him in such a negative light. I understand why it was done in this movie, but it also makes me wonder how many other parts of the movie didn't really happen, but were shown for "dramatic effect." I'm not asking for 100% accuracy (see Hitler's last days in "Downfall"), but playing this loose with the facts hurts "Cinderella Man's" credibility.