Never Falls Short Of Entertainment

Rating: 9/10 (29 October 2015)

Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this film as Billy Hope,a world champion light heavyweight pugilist who undergoes the biggest battle in his life when he faced the most challenging situations in his life that includes the murder of his wife,his daughter was sent to Child Protection Services after she removed from his custody,his boxing manager leaving him and when he lost his first and only fight during his title defense that led to losing all his championships belts - IBF,WBA,WBC and WBO.He tries to fix the mess that his life has been to by seeking the help of a boxing trainer - Tick Willis - to help him get back into the ring in order to recapture all the championship belts that he has lost and make a change for better in order to get his daughter back.We witness him go through the process as he tries to overcome the death of his wife and personal redemption as a world boxing champion.
No question that this movie by director Antoine Fuqua is in the same category of the Rocky genre.It tells a similar story wherein we get to see a pugilist who tries to get back his life on track both on and out of the ring.Despite the fact that Kurt Sutter's screenplay is a predictable and melodramatic,it never falls short of entertainment.Give credit to Jake Gyllenhall's committed and credible performance as Billy Hope as the viewer will definitely behind his character's back emotionally as he undergoes the process.This is probably the biggest reason why it stood out despite the familiar clichés that the story has.