Such a film cannot be quantified,qualified or completely understood.

Rating: Null/10 (5 January 2011)

Raging Bull has been viewed by countless people as the greatest American film of the 1980s, even of all time. Seeing it again, it is remarkable to see the precisely choreographed fight scenes, the powerful domestic scenes between Jake LaMotta and his wife and the overall arc of a life Scorsese brings to the screen. This is a film not easily forgotten.
Without discussing the commonly known backstory and history of how Scorsese and De Niro came to make this film, it is important to discuss what Raging Bull targets in its remarkably moving film making. It all begins and ends with Robert De Niro's performance as LaMotta, a ferocious fighter with animal-like instincts that assisted in the boxing ring, but were deadly to his relationships. The most remarkable aspect of De Niro's acting here is how he is able to perfectly capture the pivotal point between LaMotta being sincere and being a bull. Even in scenes we know something harsh and violent is going to happen, the sheer low tone and calm gesture De Niro speaks in is enough to throw off the audience of the impending conflict. It truly is an unforgettable performance.
Able to go face-to-face with De Niro is Joe Pesci as Jake's brother Joey, the brains of the operation and more able to deal with real life, as well as Cathy Moriarty as his blonde bombshell wife Vickie. The fact that she was a mere 19 years old during production enhances her performance even more.
What Martin Scorsese is able to suggest not just about LaMotta but also humanity in general in a film some see merely as a sports film on par with Rocky or Bull Durham is unbelievable. This is not a sports movie, rather a careful character study of a man with infinite psychological and personal issues who attempted to approach every part of life as if it was a boxing match. When this didn't work with Vickie or his boxing representatives, he simply lashed out the only way he understood. Some see Jake LaMotta as almost entirely unsympathetic. I think he is even more sympathetic than most because he doesn't understand the sorrow and turmoil he causes. He acts but doesn't think.
Scorsese, ever a master of the visual tricks and styles, so carefully photographed the fight scenes that they remain immersible in the viewer's head: this is real boxing compared to what is seen in other films. The fighters are completely covered in blood, sweat and water, while the slow-motion shots of certain characters forever marks their spot in our memories. This is a story told almost entirely from LaMotta's point of view, yet it isn't just his story. This is also Scorsese's, the story of a self-destructive man who alienated all of those around him only to lose that which he cherished. Fortunately for Scorsese, he realized his problems and perhaps making this film allowed him to escape a similar fate to LaMaotta.