Watch and feel the pain.

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2014)

Raging Bull is much more than another boxing film. Robert De Niro, starring as Jake La Motta, battles life inside and outside of the ring. His desire to be the middleweight champion and his self-destructive behavior prove to be the perfect storm. While his brother Joey, played by Joe Pesci, and wife Vickie, played by Cathy Moriarty try desperately to keep Jake La Motta on the straight and narrow, he is determined to allow his paranoia and temper ruin his life.
The theme of Raging Bull is much more than the story of a fighter but rather the conflicts this boxer battles in and out of the ring. While he is ultimately successful in winning the belt, he loses his wife, children, brother and even his freedom post-retirement in Miami. The same man, who beat Sugar Ray Robinson and many other top boxers, couldn't beat his internal rage. After losing everything and everyone, La Motta ends up alone, in his nightclub, mocked by his own audience.
La Motta's temper is revealed with his first wife when she couldn't cook his steak properly. He explodes in violence causing time with the first wife to begin to count down. Brother Joey seems to be hooked up with some gangster types, and Jake reveals his desire to remain independent. He yells at Joey telling him not to bring the mob down near the gym again. The mobsters represented by Tommy Como, played by Nicholas Colasanto, and Salvy,played by Frank Vincent try desperately to bring La Motta into their organization.
Joey shows his loyalty to his brother Jake, when Joey observes Tommy spending time with Jake's second wife, Vickie. Joey breaks up a Tommy Como party and beats up Salvy. While Tommy makes Salvy and Joey shake hands and make up, Jake remains an independent man. Finally, La Motta wins the middleweight championship belt. As he ages, he defends the belt successfully until his selfishness, jealousy and temper watch him give up the belt to Sugar Ray.
Boxing was good for La Motta who in retirement brags of his beautiful wife, three children and beautiful home in Miami. However, he isn't done yet. His battles outside the ring continue as he opens his nightclub. His drinking,smoking and otherwise poor lifestyle finds him in jail for committing statutory rape with a fourteen year old girl.
Director Martin Scorsese has another winner in this 1980 sports biography. Scorsese has partnered with De Niro before in award winning Goodfellows, Taxi Driver and Casino. We see other characters such as Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent add to the award winning casts.
Watch and feel the pain as Cinematographer Michael Chapman zooms in on the faces of the boxers as wounds are created and the bodily fluids fly across the ropes and into the crowd. Chapman does a great job of showing conflict in the ring. Then the conflict continues as La Motta slams the door at the end of the skinny, long hallway after yet another fight with his wife.
The fights in the ring will keep you on the edge of your seat; however it is the fights outside the ring which will keep you guessing as to the outcome of this great fighter.