Review: Cinderella Man

Rated PG-13 | 144 mins

IMDB Info

Manipulation is never a bad thing when Ron Howard is the puppet-master. The filmmaker, who has made some of the best and often most overlooked films of the last twenty years, takes to the roots of Hollywood when he makes a motion picture. His means of glamorizing his subject don’t use any sentimental music, cheesy lines, or drawn-out climactic moments to make the audience ignore the conventionality of the material; in fact, it takes all of these elements and does the exact opposite. Strong performances and powerful stories allow them to become real parts of living, breathing works.

In Cinderella Man, Howard recreates Depression-era America in a riveting way. Telling the story of James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a down-on-his-luck man with a heart of gold, he crafts one of his finest films to date. Braddock was a boxer who lost his fame and, without any other skills to support his family in one of the roughest times in the country’s history, could only rely on occasional shifts at the local dock to bring home the bread. That is, until his manager, Joe Gould, found him another shot in the ring and he had one more chance to prevail.

Here is a movie about an entirely good man, made with conviction and truth. It functions as both gripping drama and a testament to the ways in which America’s history has made it the rich land of opportunity that it is today. Howard can do no wrong with each step he takes in his execution; from Braddock’s home-life to his boxing-matches, Cinderella Man is as exhilarating as its subject is admirable. Not to mention, Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti have never been better in their entire careers; I don’t think it’s too early to say that, if they do not win Oscars, they will have been snubbed.

This brings me back to the idea of manipulation. Sure, Howard may manipulate audiences by depicting Braddock in such a cheerfully positive light, but does it really matter when the result is this captivating, this powerful? I don’t think so; Cinderella Man had me from start to finish. It’s a gripping, unforgettable experience.