Very good movie; recommend it; one of the better boxing movies in recent memory

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2016)

Overall: A great movie and one of the better boxing movies in recent memory
Good: Acting was great with Jake Gyllenhaal, Forrest Whitaker and even 50 cents providing top performances. Not career defining exactly but very good, powerful roles. Oona Laurence, his daughter, also gives a great performance making you believe her situation. The cinematography is pretty well done as are the boxing scenes which were well choreographed. The movies follows the typical boxing movie route nailing clichés such as training montage, hero-zero and large fight at the end but does each cliché greatly and somehow makes them feel fresh. You also really feel for the main character, Billy 'The Great' Hope! His story, while immensely clichéd, is told well and makes you feel so sorry for him.
Bad: I didn't like the music that much, especially for the training montage. Sadly, one of the movies greatest strengths is also its most devastating flaw. That being the clichéd story. It feels fresh and well d1one but it is, at the end of the day, the same story we've seen a lot and you can connect the dots with ease. Everything was predictable except one thing I expected to happen at the end. However, not doing this feels like a missed opportunity. It might come of as cheesy and stupid but I feel it would give an emotional lift to the final fight.
Best Part: The climactic fight between Billy Hope and Miguel Escobar.
MVP: Jake Gylenhaal as Billy 'The Great' Hope
8/10