Film Review - The Cinderella Man

James J Braddock, the Bulldog from Brooklyn (played by Russell Crowe) is an American Irish boxer who has to retire from the ring, because of declining results and some serious injuries. When he hits hard times, and can no longer feed his family, his manager, played by the excellent Paul Giamatti, manages to get him a no-hope fight against a #2 contender for the world title. His comeback starts here.

The whole movie is set in Depression-era New York, where people are crammed into single-room slums, and the menfolk have to queue in the morning hoping to be picked for work at the docks, only to be paid a pittance for their efforts. The whole washed-out colour effect that Spielberg used in Saving Private Ryan is used here to add a grittines to the housing areas, the docks, and accentuate the sheer hopelessness of their lives. Day-to-day Braddock doesn't know where his next meal will come from, even having to work with a broken hand one day just to make ends meet.

His wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) is supportive without being disapproving, but shares the struggle as she tries to keep things together at home. Paul Giamatti, having no doubt leapt up casting lists everywhere since his fantastic success with Sideways, is excellent as the driven yet sympathetic manager who has to use all his wiles with promoters to get Jimmy back in the ring. This level of non-showy goodness pervades these three central characters: people struggling to get on with their lives with dignity, and quiet strength.

But it's in the ring that Braddock has his finest moments and no longer appears a victim. The film culminates in a big fight for Jimmy, one that is absolutely spellbinding. I found myself moving in my seat just watching the action in the ring, such is the excitement. In all but this section of the film, it has you gently attached to its core characters. You feel their pain without crying with them, and their fun makes you smile. But the final fight has you nearly screaming.

The formula has been done before; after all, this is merely an updated Rocky, but the fight scenes are shot realistically, using flashbulb sequences (as in Raging Bull) to add to the drama; the sense of understated courage shown by all the characters adds an emotional depth to the film. It doesn't allow itself to become a caricature, because it shows honest people fighting in all aspects of their life to stay afloat. The acid test for me is whether you care about the characters, and this stark portrayal of bum-came-good left me begging to see them all succeed. A fine movie, and worth watching, if not quite challenging Million Bollar Baby for the best boxing movie this year, 7.5/10