Deserving Of Its Classic Status

Rating: 8/10 (7 December 2006)

After hearing about the brilliance of 'Raging Bull' for months and months, I was delighted when I managed to find a copy of the film. Whilst I must honestly say that I didn't enjoy the film as much as many others before me, I can certainly see why it is considered a masterpiece.
First of all, the acting is absolutely flawless. Robert De Niro, in perhaps his greatest role (I'm still deciding between this and 'Taxi Driver'), stunningly portrays Jake LaMotta, a vicious and talented fighter but a paranoid husband. De Niro earned himself an Oscar for this performance, and it is easy to see why. The scene where LaMotta is thrown into a jail cell for selling alcohol to minors- overweight, disliked and alone- is one of the great acting scenes of all time.
The supporting performances are also very notable, especially Joe Pesci (Casino, 1995) as LaMotta's brother and agent, and Cathy Moriarty as LaMotta's husband.
The boxing scenes, though unexpectedly scarce throughout the film, are moments of utter beauty, and a testament to outstanding direction, editing and cinematography. The viewer is cast within the boxing ring, and they flinch with every blow, as if struck themselves.
In watching this film, it is essential to first understand that this is not supposed to be a "boxing film." In other words, you won't be getting an inspirational, underdog film like 'Rocky.' 'Raging Bull' is a biographical character study of Jake LaMotta and a classical examination of masculinity. I must admit that I felt the film was a bit slow in some places, and had a drawn-out, anti-climactic ending, but I think that's merely because I was in a 'Rocky' sort of mood. With every scene, I found myself yearning for another of those brilliant boxing scenes, and I was slightly disappointed when we find LaMotta overweight and lazy - a sure sign that his boxing days were now over...
I've heard that 'Raging Bull' is a film that benefits substantially from a second viewing. With my expectations of another 'Rocky' put aside, I think I can appreciate this film a lot more, something that it certainly deserves. So this is what I'll do: I'll give it a few weeks, and then I'll try the film again. You'll be hearing from me soon!