Susan Granger’s review of “Cinderella Man” (Universal Pictures)
It’s far too early to predict Oscar contenders, but “Cinderella Man” is not only the Best Picture – so far – of 2005 but I suspect voters will remember it if the DVD is timed for awards season. The Depression-era drama stars Russell Crowe (“Gladiator,” “A Beautiful Mind”) as real-life heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock with Renee Zellweger (“Cold Mountain,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary”) as his loving wife Mae and Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”) as his manager. Unlike many other fighters, Braddock went into the ring, not for the glory, but to support his family. When multiple injuries and bad luck sidelined him, he worked on the docks until, miraculously, he got a second chance. Writer Damon Runyon dubbed him the “Cinderella Man.” The acting is flawless, particularly the tender scenes between honorable, hard-working Jim and his oldest son Jay (Connor Price) and when he swallowed his pride and humbly went to the boxing promoters, hat-in-hand, to plea for money to pay his electricity bill. Directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Cliff Hollingsworth and Akiva Goldsman, it reunites cohorts from “A Beautiful Mind.” Amid the summer popcorn pictures, it’s an elegant, intelligent, inspirational, crowd-pleasing story, aimed at adult audiences. Reminiscent of Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull,” the boxing sequences are realistically brutal yet compelling. Since I cringe at the sport, I felt perhaps they went on too long, but that’s quibbling. Salvatore Totino’s stunning cinematography and the meticulously authentic production details evoke the working-class hardships of the early 1930s, and Thomas Newman’s music gives emotional gravity. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Cinderella Man” jabs you with a knockout 10. It’s a must-see!
