Fighter finds redemption

Rating: 9/10 (30 July 2015)

SOUTHPAW: There's a finite number of formulas for any boxing movie and no matter what anyone does, there will always be comparisons to Raging Bull and Rocky. There's our hero's fame, fortune and lavish life style, the folks who remain loyal as long as he's on top, there are those who screw him over, there's the family, the entourage, the inevitable fall and loss of everything, redemption, the hateful, hot-shot challenger, the grudge/revenge match put together by the unscrupulous promoter, the obligatory training montage culminating in the big fight. There's even an aspect of 'Million Dollar Baby' at work here. But what separates Southpaw from just another boxing move, is the brilliant direction by Antoine Fuqua. Every frame is precise. The camera placement, the angles, the moves, the meticulous, selective use of close ups, the fight sequences which are brutal and gut wrenching, which put the audience in the ring, hit every emotional beat which in turn allows the cast to deliver brilliant, nuanced performances across the board. Could get a Best Picture and Best Director Oscar nom. I also predict Oscar noms for Jake Gyllenhaal, who transformed himself physically and turns in a performance unlike anything I've seen him do before, and for Forest Whitaker, with the barest trace of the tics we've seen him do previously. Their scenes together are why we go to the movies. I also predict an Oscar nom for Oona Lawrence, the 11-12 year old, as the daughter, who comes through with a powerful performance with depth far beyond her years. This kid is freakin' awesome. Rachael McAdams, as the loving and supportive wife, is breath taking, but I'm afraid she isn't around long enough for award recognition. My only complaint was the slurred speech Gyllenhaal gave to his punchy character which made him a little hard to understand at times. Score: 9. GO! It's a knockout of a movie.
(And just when you thought the Rocky franchise was done, lo and behold, there was a trailer for the next installment, 'CREED' about Apollo's son who's a fighter trained by Balboa. Promoting a boxing movie before a boxing movie: ingenious or overkill? Discuss.)