02/22/06 Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man (2005), directed by Ron Howard

watched solo; DVD rental (Record Exchange) @ home

Boxing films tend to be popular in Hollywood because they always seem to incoporate the perfect allegory. Dramatic narratives intertwined with violent action sequences, that pardon the pun, "pull no punches." OK, ok, so sue me. No don't really. Or I may have to take up boxing to pay the bills. The story is based on the true life of pugilist James J. Braddock who must help his family survive the hard times of the Great Depression, as well as earn back the local respect of being a promising fighter. Crowe does an alright job of convincing us he's from New Jersey, and that he has to toil to make ends meet for his family. He's not a favorite actor of mine, but seems to embody these epic figures in everyday lives in most of his roles. It's the smaller parts like Paul Giamatti's as his trainer that show great acting abilities. It's the typical awe-inspiring story of a true blue-collar hardworking American who makes it big. A true hero for the everyman. Hollywood loves that.

3 out of 5 stars