Review: Cinderella Man


Persuasive 2005 Ron Howard (“Parenthood”, “Apollo 13”, “A Beautiful Mind”) biopic of working class boxer Jim J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a genuinely decent man who fought to feed his family during the Depression, despite injuries and a has-been tag. A perfectly cast Paul Giamatti plays Braddock’s manager, and Renee Zellweger is his supportive but concerned wife. Bruce McGill has a fine supporting role as Jimmy Johnston, the fight promoter who doesn’t see any crowd-pulling potential in Braddock. Craig Bierko turns up as a demonised version of Max Baer, the supposedly brutal heavyweight champion.

 

Crowe is absolutely astonishing here, and the story so winning (it’s like “Rocky” meets “The Grapes of Wrath”, with Braddock becoming a hero for the downtrodden just like Tom Joad), that one can overlook its flaws. Aside from the unfair treatment of the Baer character (I’ve heard on good authority that he wasn’t a monster at all), and overlength, one also has to contend with a seriously mopey, scrunchy-faced performance by Zellweger, who is simply depressing (overdoing the timid wife thing, Talia Shire needn’t worry, her mantle ain’t about to be stolen) when not irritating. How she won an Oscar for her caricatured Calamity Jane meets Yosemite Sam performance in “Cold Mountain” is beyond me, and she’s only marginally better here.

 

A solid film. The scene where Braddock has to beg his former employer and co for money is truly heartbreaking stuff, and Crowe plays it remarkably well for someone not exactly known for being humble. Scripted by Cliff Hollingsworth and the critically reviled Akiva Goldsman (“The Client”, “Batman Forever”, “A Beautiful Mind”), I’m surprised this rah-rah story wasn’t tackled earlier, it’s perfect material for a movie.

 

Rating: B-

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