It is amazing what an additional viewing will do

Rating: 8/10 (29 August 2010)

Well let me start by saying that all movies that I review have to be watched twice before I feel I can give them a proper review. Many movies go up and down in rating with a second viewing and sometimes one doesn't quite catch the point with that first view.
This is definitely the case for the movie Raging Bull. In short it is the story of a boxer and his rise to the top of the championship world as well as his inevitable fall from grace.
When I first saw this movie I said "Ah Robert Dinero and Joe Pessie playing the wise guys again" and kind of just let the move flow by. I felt bored by it. So my initial thought was "What's the big deal?" The second viewing was hard for me as I have a considerable amount of films to watch but I pulled myself back to it and was very pleasantly surprised. Dinero works well with the part that he was given and truly pored himself into the role. Though the actors were not really going outside the box for their acting the intensity was very top notch. The movie ia a long one but you can get engrossed into the storyline. Shot in black and white it lends an element of age to the film that also gives it an extra plus in the art department.
On the downside the movie can get away from you and leave you with that bored feeling if you arn't working to pay attention. I also have a hard time watching the anger on the screen that Dinero is so good at.
In the end this is a movie that is worth it so long as you make sure to have the energy to go into it. If you work with this film you will definitely not be disappointed.