Watch A Modern Barbarian Destroy His Life

Rating: 8/10 (21 November 2019)

(Flash Review)
The film follows the early career of rising boxing star Jake LaMotta as he battles middle weight contenders and personal decisions as he strives to get a title shot. While he is working up the ladder, his true persona is illuminated on how controlling, violent and distrustful he is off his wife, brother and pretty much everyone. From scene to scene, he is angry, inquisitive, schmoozing or scheming. This is one of those rise and fall stories that starts with arrogance and ends with humility. While the acting is rich with emotion, the lighting helps give a unique atmosphere to the scenes which are shot in rich black and white. Scorsese uses some creative cinematic moments to accentuate the emotional mood of specific scenes. It appears De Niro gained a bunch of weight from Jake's fighting weight to his post career weight. Don't pass up the Scorsese, De Niro and Pesci trifecta in their early days.