One of the greater boxing movies! Please don't miss it.

Rating: 9/10 (29 June 2005)

Russel Crowe was outstanding. He really brought this character to life. The visual look at how far this family fell during the depression was incredible. We today have no idea what our parents & grandparents went through. Ron Howard really brought this to home with the lines outside the shipyards & the lines waiting to get go on the dole. Excellent job! The only thing I was disappointed in was Renee. She looked a bit too Roxie Heart to me. In the beginning that was all I could see & hear. She made me think of that character. I did think however that she & Russell have good chemistry together. I however was more focused on his character throughout the film. I also was impressed with the kids. They did a great job playing off the parents. I believe Russell as the parent more than Renee.
I also was very impressed with Paul Giamatti's character. He played the rich hustler/promoter very well. It was a shock to find that he was essentially as poor as the Braddocks. You could tell he really believed in Braddock.
Bruce McGill was very compelling as the rich promoter. He played the jerk very well.
My favorite part in the film was when Braddock went to Johnston & the rest of the rich promoters begging for money to put the electricity back on. It really showed the lack of empathy on the part of the people who had against the people who didn't.
The only other part I was unsure of was the Max Baer character. Was he really so brash & mean? I kind of looked at this as the way boxers are. Look at the way Mahommad Ali & Mike Tyson have acted when trying to promote fights.
Good film - great fight - great suspense.....