Can hold its own and stand next to Rocky and Raging Bull as greatest boxing movies of all time. A real must see. I give it an A.

Rating: 9/10 (1 August 2015)

"A fighter only knows one way to work." Billy Hope (Gyllenhaal) is the biggest and best boxer in the world. He controls his world in the ring and his wife (McAdams) controls his world outside the ring. After his temper gets the better of him and his wife is killed Billy's life begins to spin out of control. Faced with losing it all he turns to trainer Tick Wills (Whitaker) in hopes of getting his life, and daughter, back. It is very difficult to make a boxing movie and succeed. No matter how good it may be it will inevitably be compared to Rocky and Raging Bull. I have seen a ton of boxing movies and they have all fallen short, not because they were necessarily bad, but because they weren't classics like those were. They both had excitement in the ring and a riveting story out of the ring. This movie had both of those qualities and belongs in the same breath and level as those two. Gyllenhaal gives an Oscar worthy performance and the story is what keeps you interested rather than when is the next fight going to happen. I could go on and on about this but I will just say watch this. This is one of the best movies of the year and one of, if not the best sports movie in recent memory. I can't recommend this enough. Overall, Southpaw can hold it's own against Rocky and Raging Bullthere is no better compliment for a boxing movie. I give this a A+.