SYNOPSICS
Cinderella Man (2005) is a English movie. Ron Howard has directed this movie. Russell Crowe,Renée Zellweger,Craig Bierko,Paul Giamatti are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2005. Cinderella Man (2005) is considered one of the best Biography,Drama,History,Romance,Sport movie in India and around the world.
During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a.k.a. the Cinderella Man, was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up, and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace who had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him - his family - was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, James J. Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor, and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. However Braddock, fuelled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man became the mythic athlete. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the ...
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Cinderella Man (2005) Reviews
James J. Braddock: Gladiator of the Great Depression
"Cinderella Man" deserves to be placed alongside other great biographical films dealing with the lives and times of great boxers. Such films include "Raging Bull," "The Joe Louis Story," "Ali," "The Hurricane," and "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story." These films share in common not just a documentary-like approach to boxing or a superficial biopic. They also portray the human side of a modern gladiator and the culture that produced him. In the case of "Cinderella Man," we are given a detailed and heart-rending portrait of the Great Depression in American. The story of the gentleman pugilist James J. Braddock is the backdrop to the larger drama of Americans' struggle in the 1930s. Russell Crowe provides a brilliant interpretation of Braddock, capturing the decency of a man whose career as a boxer would appear to have peaked at just the wrong time prior to the Crash of 1929. After that momentous event, Braddock's boxing went into decline just like the lives of millions of Americans. The scenes of Braddock and his family living in squalid conditions and with uncertainty about such basics as heat and electricity were carefully developed in the film. Renée Zellweger was outstanding as Mae, the caring but feisty wife of Braddock. Paul Giamatti was also excellent as Braddock's handler-manager, Joe Gould. Joe tries to keep up appearances by sporting fancy clothes. But in one revealing scene in the film when we see the interior of Joe's ostensibly swanky apartment, there is no fancy furniture other than a dowdy table and some flimsy deck chairs. Everyone is reeling from the Depression. In the depiction of the massive unemployment, the "Hoovervilles" of the homeless residing in Central Park, and the desperate need for Americans for an optimistic icon like Braddock to raise their spirits, the film truly captured the tragedy of the Great American Depression. The film's director Ron Howard emphasized close-ups throughout the film with uneven results. In many of the boxing sequences, the close-ups and rapid editing made it difficult tell the fighters apart. The close-ups continued even into the domestic scenes and the outdoor sequences depicting Braddock working as a longshoreman. The film's dark cinematography conveyed the bleakness of the Depression years, but it worked against bringing out the buoyant spirit of Braddock himself and the optimism that he instilled in others. As a director, Howard's strength is not in film artistry or technique. As apparent in this and other films, his gift lies in narrative storytelling and the development of dramatic character. Indeed, the characters and the story were the strong points of "Cinderella Man." Much credit should go to Cliff Hollingsworth for a screenplay that included thoughtful dialogue, humor, and multi-dimensional characters. Daniel Orlandi also merits praise for the brilliant costumes that helped to recreate the period of the early 1930s. But the heart of this film experience is Russell Crowe's screen portrayal of Braddock. It was the colorful sportswriter and raconteur Damon Runyan who coined the nickname of "Cinderella Man" for Braddock. However, the real James J. Braddock was more than lucky. It was his strength of character in and out of the ring that captivated America. One of the most moving scenes of the film was a heated argument between Braddock and his wife Mae where Braddock insists that even in the most difficult of times, he would refuse to be separated from his children. As a boxer, he was fearless. But he demonstrated even more courage in fighting for family valuesa lesson from which we can learn a great deal today in reflecting on this sensitive film.
Russell Crowe K.O.
The dilemma: I hate boxing movies; I love Russell Crowe movies. I've already seen "Million Dollar Baby" and "Raging Bull" this year, and accidentally watched part of one of the "son of Rocky" serial movies on a Saturday afternoon. I feel like I am being punched, as Renee' Zellwegger's character Mae Braddock says, and I'm not as tough as these prize fighters. But this one has Russell Crowe in it. And that makes all the difference. It is not that Renee Zellwegger and Paul Giamatti, Paddy Considine, Bruce McGill and Craig Bierko, among others, give less than stellar performances: they all live up to their justifiably great reputations. You have to believe they are at the top of their game. But for all of Russell Crowe's reputation for being "difficult", it is hard to think of actors who can equal his personal force on the screen. He is brilliant. Ron Howard has made of the real life of Depression-era prize-fighter James J. Braddock a work of art. The camera work is phenomenal. Without using violins or cliché' pull-back shots showing the numbers of people homeless and in soup lines, Howard makes the Depression a visceral reality with scenes of near-hopeless men at the docks, pleading for a day's work; a stolen salami; Crowe's giving his daughter his breakfast piece of bologna, telling her he dreamed he was full. The bleakness of the times is the graininess and the sepia/greyness of the camera shots; the images are stark but completely descriptive. Crowe as Braddock with hat in hand and tears in his eyes, begging for twenty dollars so he can get his children back into his home, is the personification of pride sacrificed to desperation. But when Braddock is later asked at a press conference why he is fighting at his age and after so many poor showings, all he has to say is "milk" to be supremely eloquent. Doubtless many people know the history of James Braddock, and know the outcome of his fights, including the championship bout with Max Baer, who had already killed two men in the ring. If you don't know, DON'T look it up before you see the movie, and if you DO KNOW, DON'T TELL, but go. Analogous to watching Howard's film "Apollo 13", you may know the outcome, but there's wonderful suspense in the details. These were among the most exciting last twenty minutes I've seen on film. I didn't expect to be able to watch, but like Braddock's terrified wife Mae, I was unable to tear myself away. The audience was like a prize fight audience, cheering, booing, gasping, groaning during the fights. We applauded Braddock's wins, suffered his defeats. It is a great movie, with authentic heart. Solid A.
Very little to say...
My heart was firmly lodged in my throat for the last hour and a half of The Cinderella Man. Nobody does true-story heroism like Ron Howard, and few can do heroes like Russell Crowe. Though Howard fictionalizes his subjects, and does not pretend to make documentaries, he does accurately depict the feeling and the major points of his subjects. Jim Braddock was a depression-era boxer who everybody thought was down for the count. Though there is a lot of boxing in this film, this is not a boxing movie, but rather his story and the story of the family that inspired him to fight back against prejudice and hopelessness, to rise to heights that would inspire a nation. Braddock is portrayed in a moving and powerful manner, with remarkable performances all around, one of the best scripts I can remember in recent years, and occasionally brutal action. Those who have run into my reviews may note that this is one of my shortest. Please understand that I really don't think there's much to say about this simple, beautiful and very human story, besides - see it!
Old story well told!
Geez, another boxing movie! Yeah, Yeah, I know the story. Down and out guy gets a break and makes the most of it. He's fighting for his family, he's fighting for all those other hopeless people. Been there, done that. Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. This movie is about the best 140 minute I've spent in a movie theater since . . . . since . . . ., Oh, well, you get the picture. Better yet, instead of getting the picture, go see it. Russell Crowe owns the character of James Braddock, the unlikely hero who makes the most of his second chance. He's a good fighter turned hack. Injury, bad luck and this thing called the Depression sends him down the drain. His wife, Mae, played by Renee Zelleweger, wants to be his biggest fan, but the kids need a dad, the rent has to get paid and the money from boxing dried up along time ago. Her husband's courage is undoubted, but his nerve is killing her. And then there's Joe Gould, played by Paul Giamatti. A boxer by the name of George Cochan once told me his manager was the bravest man he ever knew, he was willing to pit his man (Cochan) against anyone. As a result, Cochan had his head handed to him multiple times by the likes of Jake LaMotta and other class middle weights of the Forties and Fifties. Gould, is that brave manager, if not literally, in spirit. He pits Braddock, out of shape and with one day notice, against the number two heavy weight contender. Regardless of the risk, it's a pay day needed by both Gould and Braddock. The story, while familiar, is executed brilliantly. The camera work is both subtle and, in turn, spectacular. Craig Bierko, Paddy Considine, Bruce McGill and the rest of the cast give flawless performances. Yes, been there, done that! And I'm ready to do it again for anyone who wants to go with me.
A fine boxing motion picture, very entertaining and sentimental
Crowe is perfectly likable as the 'Pride of New Jersey' and the champion of his wife's heart, being knocked down by the stock market crash of '29 and a broken right hand Jim Braddock (Crowe) is compelled to feed his family with whatever work he could get on the Jersey docks However, thanks to a last minute cancellation and some effort by his close friend and longtime trainer, he found himself back in the ring Knowing now that the difference between winning and losing is how much food and warmth he can provide for his wife and kids, Jim finds the motivation that he needed to win the match Crowe conveys with great sincerity the feeling of desperation of a humble man giving his all to his family and his profession as a boxer At his lowest moment, Braddock swallows the last of his pride and goes before the Boxing Federation who fired him from boxing (because he hasn't been winning, mostly due to injuries), begging them for pocket change to buy "milk" for his children In this powerful scene, we truly feel the harsh reality of those times Crowe is tremendously appealing in scenes depicting his tender relationship with his children: His care while telling his hungry little daughter about his dream of a thick juice steak persuading her to eat his meager supper because he is too full to eat it, his love when promising his oldest son, Jay, he'll never send him away, no matter how bad things get The supporting cast is exceptional: Renee Zellwegger is very good as Braddock's adoring wife She is a soft-spoken blond, shy-eyed type, who remains strong no matter how much force is exerted against it, making do with watered-down milk Her need to let Jimmy fight, and to bring money to pay the bills, always gets shattered by her fear that one day he will walk out the door to leave her a widow Paul Giamatti is terrific as the fast-talking boxing manager trying to keep up appearances of success amidst the depression Craig Bierko amuses but terrifies as the much-feared Max Baer whose pleasant face masks the heart of a man who will do anything to win The film makes Baer out to be an arrogant figure, who enjoys beating and even killing his rivals in the ring Seeing Braddock's wife Mae, Baer utters, "She's too young to be a widow." With dramatic images of the Depression Era, Howard's "The Cinderella Man" is a fine boxing motion picture, very entertaining and sentimental The boxing sequences are wonderfully photographed, bringing the audience right into the ring We can really feel the cool, oily, smoky sweatiness of the "world's most famous arena."