"Cinderella Man" is captivating and completely believable!

Rating: 10/10 (25 May 2005)

"Cinderella Man"  WOW! "Cinderella Man" cast  WOW! "Cinderella Man" script  WOW! WOW, WOW, WOW  what a movie!
The new film "Cinderella Man" is the true story of boxer James J. (Jim) Braddock. This film is stunning and exciting from beginning to end. In my opinion, it's the best movie so far in 2005, and it may well be the second boxing movie in two years to win the Academy's nod for Best Picture. How can I say this? Well, Russell Crowe as Braddock has never been better. Incredible! Director Ron Howard also gets terrific performances from Renée Zellweger as Braddock's wife, Mae, and from talented actor Paul Giamatti as Joe Gould.
What a lucky hit and maybe it was more than luck that reunited Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer, director Ron Howard, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (all Oscar winners for 2001's "A Beautiful Mind") with Oscar winner Russell Crowe. What a team and what a story! The film recreates the pain of the dark days of 1930s Depression in a way that will stir you to the core. Braddock, a once-promising heavyweight boxer, struggles along with wife Mae to survive and hold their family together. Braddock's impressive run of wins has been surpassed by a string of losses that has rendered him a ring has-been, grubbing for any kind of work. Then an unlikely stroke of good fortune  a last minute cancellation  offers Braddock one more night in the ring against a second-ranked world contender. Unbelievable  except it really happened  Braddock, with no training for the fight, wins that match. Everywhere in the country, this new hero  who is one of their own  uplifts the downtrodden people living through this terrible time. Those controlling the matches can't ignore Braddock's popularity and the potential for profit as the old man is brought back to fight young savages who will probably kill him. (Shades of "Million Dollar Baby"!)
You'll be on the edge of your seat for the whole play-out. If you're a boxing fan, you probably know what happens  but I won't spoil it for you if you don't know. Either way, don't miss this dream moviea true-life fairy tale. I'm giving "Cinderella Man" an "A++" on my Entertainment Report Card.