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 Cinderella Man (2005)Rated: PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language. Runtime: 144 mins. Director: Ron Howard Writer: Cliff Hollingsworth Cast: Russell Crowe; Renee Zellweger; Connor Price; Paul Giamatti... complete cast Tagline: When America was on its knees, he brought us to our feet. Genre: Drama/Sport Memorable Quote: "Just give me another fight, Joe."
Russell Crowe’s portrayal of a sports legend continues his streak of powerful cinematic performances. Cinderella Man is the story of James Braddock, a rising star in the boxing ring during the late 1920s. His rise up the ranks is halted as the stock market crash of 1929 destroys the American economy. With a string of losses, injuries, and the end of his big paydays, Braddock suffers the same fate that thousands of other Americans felt during the Great Depression. After losing his life earnings, Braddock struggles to provide for his wife (Zellweger) and three children while never fully losing his dream of returning to boxing. Due to a last minute cancellation and a recommendation by his manager (Giamatti), Braddock gets one last chance at glory and marks his place in boxing history. It is Crowe’s portrayal of Braddock that makes Cinderella Man stand out from the rest of the historical sports movies. Braddock fights, not for glory, but to feed his family. Along the way, Braddock becomes a hero and gives hope to other people struggling to survive the depression. Of course none of us are short on a list of movies whose central meanings amount to one word: hope. Yet despite that, this film flickers on and keeps the audience entranced the whole time. Crowe’s accent and look is a perfect capsule of the time and his boxing style is a perfect copy of Braddock’s. The boxing matches in Cinderella Man are hands down the best ever shown in film. They keep the audience on the edge of its seat, holding its breath. The film's raw cinematography draws you into the ring, and leaves you feeling like you're sitting there in person. Besides Crowe and the boxing scenes, the other bright spot in this film is Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of manager Joe Gould. He adds a light to this film with wiseass remarks that I believe no other actor could have done. This role is like no other he has ever had and Giamatti shows the heart and soul of this manager. He and Crowe had better chemistry than most wife and husband teams! Director Ron Howard has a calling for heartwarming tales and always succeeds at creating a bond between the audience and the characters. The audience will find themselves cheering as Braddock battles in the ring. This film is a show for everyone. Those of us who aren't huge boxing fans love this for the story and those who are not fans of history will love this for the fights. Howard does not film this movie for everyone; he keeps true to the character. This film will inspire the audience to work hard to achieve their dreams, just like Braddock would have wanted. Amber Deggans  Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1
Number of discs: - 2 - Snapcase packaging with a printed scrapbook that includes photos and commemorative cards.
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