Clichéd, but entertaining and hard hitting.

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2015)

The boxing sub-genre of sports movies boasts some pretty remarkable motion pictures: Raging Bull, Million Dollar Baby, Rocky, Cinderella Man, The Hurricane and The Fighter. And whilst Antoine Fuqua's (Training Day, The Equalizer) latest effort doesn't quite reach the top of that pile, it sits comfortably amongst them as a fight flick with tremendous heft. First and foremost though, this is Jake Gyllenhaal's film. His transformation, both physically and mentally, into the emotionally complex pugilist Bobby Hope is a tour de force that, with any justice, will garner him his second Oscar nomination (after 2006's Brokeback Mountain). Even during some of the weaker parts – most notably the elongated middle act that meanders intermittently – Gyllenhaal's invested performance drives proceedings and commands your attention. Also in the movie's corner is 11-year-old Oona Laurence as Hope's daughter Leila. She's a wonderful sparring partner for Gyllenhaal and their scenes together are authentic, affecting and ultimately the beating heart behind the blood, sweat and tears. Fuqua again presents a world defined by urban grit, with Mauro Fiore's grimy, almost black and white photography combining with a hip-hop soundtrack to generate a tough, street-level atmosphere. The script from Kurt Sutter doesn't elevate the story as much as it could have, with rags-to-riches clichés and predictable plot beats on full display, yet there's a sincerity here that makes it work. Not to mention the fights are gloriously executed, creating an intensity and fierceness that ensures each showdown - especially the climactic match – is immersive and adrenaline pumping. Anchored by a riveting central turn and boxing sequences that, umm, pack a real punch, Southpaw is an entertaining and hard-hitting drama that earns its place in the higher echelon of sports films.