Russell Crowe gave his most emotional performance in Ron Howard’s inspirational drama

After his breakthrough role in the low-budget Australian crime film Romper Stomperwhich initially earned him great acclaim from critics, Russell Crowe He was soon appearing in some of the most acclaimed films of his time. He received an Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Maximus Ridley Scottis the epic that was awarded the best picture gladiatorand also received nominations for Michael Mannis the conspiracy thriller The insider And Ron HowardBiographical drama A beautiful spirit. Crowe’s characters were often morally reserved, isolated men who were often uncomfortable expressing their sensitivities. However, Crowe reunited with Howard to deliver his most emotional performance yet in the underrated boxing film Cinderella man.

What is “Cinderella Man” about?

Based on the amazing true story, Cinderella man explores the life and career of James J. Braddockan Irish-American longshoreman in New Jersey who gave up his dream of becoming a boxer after suffering a serious wrist injury early in his career. Braddock is overwhelmed by the amount of manual labor he has to do to care for his wife Mae (Renée Zellweger) and children, as living during the Great Depression means there is very little wealth. Although Braddock doesn’t want to make a comeback, he is convinced to just take one fight to please his former manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), which convinces him that he will reap the financial benefits. To Braddock’s shock, his victory ultimately inspires the crowd, who are overwhelmed by the idea that a man from humble beginnings is able to fight his way to the top. Nicknamed “The Cinderella Man,” Braddock begins fighting for the heavyweight boxing title.

Cinderella man explores the unique pressures placed on an athlete be representative of a community. Ironically, Braddock’s initial return to the ring was simply to put food on his family’s table. He did not seek fame or fame. However, it is this humility that ultimately resonated with the many other Americans who struggled to find work during this very difficult time in history. Braddock realizes that the idea he represents is more important than his happiness and that he must be willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of his community. The idea that Americans draw inspiration from outstanding citizens is a theme touched upon in many of Howard’s films, such as: Apollo 13 And The paper. However, they hit particularly hard Cinderella man because it so deftly follows the beats of a standard inspirational sports movie “Rise and Fall.”

“Cinderella Man” is not your typical boxing film

Although it would be easy to compare it to other inspirational boxing classics like Rocky or The fighter, Cinderella man is just as effective as a family drama. In general, boxing films tend to downplay the roles of female characters, but Mae is credited with an active role in humanizing Braddock as he puts himself in harm’s way. Mae is so traumatized by seeing her husband put in danger that she often can’t even bear to attend games he attends out of fear, but still recognizes the importance of what he does. There are also some quiet, tender moments between Braddock and his son Jay (Connor Price); After condemning Jay for theft at the beginning of the film, Braddock uses this moment to teach him that it is important to understand the consequences of one’s actions.

Cinderella man goes deeper into the relationship between a boxer and a manager than most other sports films, and that’s largely due to the excellent chemistry between Crowe and Giamatti. Gould is portrayed as a character who is willing to push Braddock to his limits because he knows what buttons to push while still caring for him as much as if he were a member of his family. Crowe was so impressed with his co-star’s performance that he encouraged the studio to support him at the awards shows, which led to Giamatti’s first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Cinderella man is one of Howard’s better films and serves as proof that it is best suited to telling inspiring true stories about real heroes overcoming obstacles. While no one would ever claim that Howard was a flashy director with a strong visual style, Cinderella man is a good old-fashioned crowd pleaser that tugs at the heartstrings at just the right moment.

Cinderella man is streaming on Netflix in the US.

Watch on Netflix