The blood-drenched, wife-beating world of Jake LaMotta.

Rating: 9/10 (17 July 2018)

Oh, you want to know what kind of film this is? This film was directed by a person who had just been on the verge of dying after a drug overdose. That is the kind of film this is.
Comparisons between this movie and Rocky are inevitable, but the differences are obvious. This is a much darker, aggressive film: There is nothing emotionally rewarding about it. It is not "almost too much". No, it is actually obnoxious.
Needless to say, not everyone will like it. It is not an emotionally attractive film, and many will find that they cannot relate to the incredibly violent, deranged character of Jake LaMotta. I would not be surprised if someone gave this movie a 1-star review because of how horrifically, frighteningly off-putting his personality is. In this film, he is both the protagonist and the antagonist.
Perception aside, let's look at the real meat of this movie.
The co-screenwriter stated that the issue with this movie was that it "has been done a hundred times before -- a fighter who has trouble with his brother and his wife and the mob is after him"
Yet this is considered one of the greatest movies of all time by many, despite the fact that so many people are turned off by the subject matter. Why?
This is, without a doubt, a filmmaker's film. If we take a detailed look at the cinematography, acting, editing, and dialog, you must ask the question: Honestly, Is there any question? It is, truly, some of the best you can expect to find in a movie. The technical skill put into this movie is mindblowing. This is why people like Roger Ebert are so captivated by this movie.
It is hard to say that this movie is fantastic because it is incredibly difficult to watch and is, by vote, not entertaining. However, it is a technical masterpiece, and from beginning to end, it is an excellently produced movie.
For most, this is not a fun movie. It is, however, a fun movie to analyze. Not a bad pick if you are looking for a professional movie, but not something you'd watch with family.