Writer/Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Russell Crowe, Paul Giamatti and Renee Zellweger
‘A Captivating Classic’
Not many actors have built a legacy which is as strong as Paul Giamatti. Since his rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Giamatti has become a celebrated icon. Whether it’s school teachers, boxing trainers or slave owners, Giamatti has portrayed many strong characters. Arguably, Giamatti’s strength as an actor is his strong commitment. He is one of those actors which has often poured his soul into every role. Giamatti has never been afraid of taking risks in his career by playing heroes which aren’t always likeable. An actor with an incredible commitment to his craft, Giamatti has become a beloved icon in entertainment. Shining a bright light in darkness, Giamatti has become an icon in the entertainment business. Through ability to play characters which are compelling, Giamatti has become a strong actor which is compelling. An actor with the abilities to portray various characters, Giamatti has built a strong place in the film industry. Throughout a lasting career, Giamatti has portrayed many characters that are compelling in films which deserve to be talked about.
I’m a huge fan of Giamatti and adore all the movies he has made in his career. However, “Cinderella Man” is my favourite. Ever since its release in 2005, Ron Howard’s film has stood the test of time as a beloved classic. Packed with breathtaking boxing scenes, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best boxing movies ever made. At a centre of it all is a phenomenal performance by Paul Giamatti, who portrays a boxing trainer which guided a powerful boxer to victory. Ultimately, what makes “Cinderella Man” a masterpiece is its message. The film delivers a bold message about poverty which would definitely resonate with everyone. Viewers aren’t required to be fans of the boxing profession to appreciate it. A mesmerizing masterpiece about a renowned boxer, there are several strong reasons why “Cinderella Man” is a movie which is definitely worth seeing.
Set in the 1930’s, “Cinderella Man” tells the true story of a boxer that overcame poverty to achieve glories. Russell Crowe portrays James Braddock, a renowned boxer that has dreams of success. Braddock has always excelled at his profession of boxing. Assisted by his long-time manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), Jim embarks on a journey to achieve victories in wrestling. However, Braddock’s desire to be a successful boxer is threatened by poverty that causes disaster. When his family falls into the dire state of poverty, Braddock experiences a tense dilemma causing tragedy. Trapped in a dilemma, Braddock questions whether it is truly possible for him to achieve victories in a profession that causes trauma. Faced with a tense situation, Braddock questions his faith in the boxing profession. As all the odds are often stacked against his favour, Braddock wonders if it’s possible for him to any longer be a famous boxer.
Ron Howard is a newcomer towards stories of boxers. Before he directed “Cinderella Man”, Howard had never made a movie about the lives of boxers. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the life of a renowned boxer in American history that faced poverty, but he succeeds tremendously. Visually, the movie is a stunning feast for the eyes. Howard effectively uses montages to capture journey of a boxer that seeks to discover his identity. Inspired by Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”, Howard uses montages that capture a boxer’s strong desire to be successful. For instance, montages elevate the opening boxing scene. During this unforgettable scene, Braddock has a tense fight that requires intense dedication. One appreciates montages capturing tension boxers for enough. Montages are complicated techniques to use in films. As Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” proved, montages elevate historical movies about slavery. Nevertheless, it works tremendously in this movie. Through captivating visuals, Howard captures tension that famous boxers living a life of poverty are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Cinderella Man” meriting appreciation is the production-design. From a technical perspective, the movie is very well-made. Howard effectively uses set design to capture the lives of poverty-stricken families facing a decline. Throughout the movie, the set design of Braddock’s home showcases poverty of the family. For instance, production design of the home elevates the illness scene. During this unforgettable scene, Jimmy discovers that his children have fallen sick in an impoverished home. One appreciates set-design capturing the lives of boxers facing a decline. Through this ingenious set-design, Howard captures hardships poverty-stricken boxers always go through. Moreover, the musical score is bold. Thomas Newman’s music is integral towards the success of the movie. It gives the movie a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that boxers bear. Through stunning production design, Howard demonstrates lives of boxers that decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Cinderella Man” is a classic about boxing which is compelling. The film is beautifully written, and successfully utilizes silence to capture the tension experienced by poverty-stricken boxers. Howard’s finest strength as a screenwriter is his abilities to capture the lives of boxers enduring tension through silence. For instance, silence elevates the begging scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Braddock begs for money from his former co-workers in boxing when his family faces poverty. One appreciates sequences of silence capturing the lives of boxers facing tension. Silence is a tricky technique to use in boxing movies. Most boxing films are driven by loud action scenes. As Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” proved clearly, silence elevates films about teachers. Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” did suggest that silence enhances movies about World War II. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a fantastic screenplay, Howard celebrates a boxer that changed the world today.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Russell Crowe delivers one of his best career performances as James Braddock. Crowe achieved appreciation for playing medieval gladiators in the Roman era. With “Cinderella Man”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray a renowned boxer in American history, but he succeeded. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, determination and grief of a boxer seeking to overcome a life of extreme poverty. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most commemorated actors in the industry today.
Paul Giamatti is phenomenal as a dedicated trainer that assists a famous boxer achieving victory. While Crowe gets the showier role, Giamatti is also excellent as a boxing trainer facing an emotional toll. Giamatti has often had an aptitude for playing strong supporting characters in movies, and “Cinderella Man” showcased his strengths as an actor. As the real-life boxing trainer Joe Gould, Giamatti effectively uses his expressions to create a character that’s compelling. Whether he is giving positive words of encouragement to Braddock in the ring or facing a frightening dilemma, Giamatti expertly uses expressions to create a boxer which is compelling. It’s an incredible performance from one of the finery actors today.
The final, most notable standout in the cast is Renee Zellweger. As Braddock’s wife, she brings heartfelt emotion to the movie.
Finally, “Cinderella Man” will earn appreciation of everyone for capturing lives of boxers which face a dilemma. Unlike most movies about the lives of boxers, it tackles themes everyone will relate to. The film discusses strong themes of identity, poverty and mental health which will resonate with everyone. Viewers don’t need to be familiar with the world of boxing to enjoy it. It delivers a powerful message about poverty which will resonate with everyone. Therefore, “Cinderella Man” is one of those rare boxing movies ebeyrone will adore.
Fans of Paul Giamatti will definitely recognize “Cinderella Man” and so will movie-goers that seek exhilarating entertainment. A captivating masterpiece about boxing, it honours an actor that has built a legacy which is lasting.
Nearly 90 years after James Braddock overcame the challenging barriers posed by poverty to become a boxing champion that’s awe-inspiring, it’s a riveting reminder of a commemorated actor that has built a lasting legacy earning a humongous fan following for his abilities to portray larger-than-life characters which are compelling in unforgettable movies which are definitely without a single doubt worth celebrating.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 