Cinderella Man

[sitarro]

Pretty amazing movie, I would recommend it to everyone. Russel Crowe's acting was rediculous, I have never seen him better. He said more with a look than 100 words. Renee Zellweger was perfect also. I was really surprised that I would like it this much, there have been a lot of fight movies. The buildup is done so well you would have to be heartless to not be rooting for Jim Braddock. It might also help a number of people get a grip to see the amount of suffering that was real to our Grandparents and Parents, that was real tough times.

I didn't see it at the theater so I don't know if the crowd was out of their seats during the boxing, Rocky did that to people. The boxing cinematography was also excellent. And it was a true story!

RENT IT!

 

[Said1]

Pretty amazing movie, I would recommend it to everyone. Russel Crowe's acting was rediculous, I have never seen him better. He said more with a look than 100 words. Renee Zellweger was perfect also. I was really surprised that I would like it this much, there have been a lot of fight movies. The buildup is done so well you would have to be heartless to not be rooting for Jim Braddock. It might also help a number of people get a grip to see the amount of suffering that was real to our Grandparents and Parents, that was real tough times.

I didn't see it at the theater so I don't know if the crowd was out of their seats during the boxing, Rocky did that to people. The boxing cinematography was also excellent. And it was a true story!

RENT IT!

I rented it a few weeks ago and agree, I like it a lot. I was pacing in and out of the room during the final fight. I love boxing, but hate supense!

Craig Bierko's character, confident or arrogant?

Just a little board humour.

 

[sitarro]

It was definitely amazing how Craig Bierko was filmed, i know I wanted to see him get his ass knocked out it a very painful way.

How about Paul Giamatti, he has really become a great actor. He was so good in Sideways and Duets. I'm sure Hollywood has a hard time with him, he doesn't fit.

 

[Said1]

It was definitely amazing how Craig Bierko was filmed, i know I wanted to see him get his ass knocked out it a very painful way.

Especially the last second or third round when he grabbed Crowe's chin and hit him in head. I thought he should have gotten hurt a little more during the last round.

How about Paul Giamatti, he has really become a great actor. He was so good in Sideways and Duets. I'm sure Hollywood has a hard time with him, he doesn't fit.

I've found a lot of his roles over the years to be fairly good, but this one was probably one of his best by far. Overall, I was surprised at how much I liked the movie, it wasn't what I was expecting.

 

[Dan]

Y'know 2 movies that Paul Giamatti never really gets much respect for, that he was actually really good in? Saving Private Ryan (blink and you'll miss him, but he does good with what he's given) and Private Parts. In Private Parts, I could definitely see a different actor playing that role as a really broad caricature, but Giamatti made him real.

As for Cinderella Man, I'll probably end up watching it eventually, but I'm in no hurry. As usual, I'll have the weirdo opinion and admit that Russel Crowe does nothing for me. He was pretty good in LA Confidential, but I thought Gladiator was WAAAAAY overrated.

 

[Said1]

Y'know 2 movies that Paul Giamatti never really gets much respect for, that he was actually really good in? Saving Private Ryan (blink and you'll miss him, but he does good with what he's given) and Private Parts. In Private Parts, I could definitely see a different actor playing that role as a really broad caricature, but Giamatti made him real.

As for Cinderella Man, I'll probably end up watching it eventually, but I'm in no hurry. As usual, I'll have the weirdo opinion and admit that Russel Crowe does nothing for me. He was pretty good in LA Confidential, but I thought Gladiator was WAAAAAY overrated.

You're first impression is more than like dead-on as far as you're movie tastes tend to go. How many good boxing and depression era movies are out there (Rocky I and Raging Bull being the few exceptions, IMHO) . Other than being mildy familar with James Braddock's career, I think I would have passed, but i"m glad I picked it up. It was well done considering the amount of time Crowe did spend in the ring.

 

[sitarro]

Y'know 2 movies that Paul Giamatti never really gets much respect for, that he was actually really good in? Saving Private Ryan (blink and you'll miss him, but he does good with what he's given) and Private Parts. In Private Parts, I could definitely see a different actor playing that role as a really broad caricature, but Giamatti made him real.

As for Cinderella Man, I'll probably end up watching it eventually, but I'm in no hurry. As usual, I'll have the weirdo opinion and admit that Russel Crowe does nothing for me. He was pretty good in LA Confidential, but I thought Gladiator was WAAAAAY overrated.

I know what you mean about Crowe but he always surprises me. I usually wait longer before I rent one of his movies because I always have doubts that he can erase the Aussi bad boy image and become the part. Master and Commander, he was so perfect in that part it was like he wasn't acting and that can be something that is ignored instead of noticed. In this movie I don't hear a himt of his natural accent and though I'm not from there, it sounded like he did the Jersey accent very naturally.

Paul Giammati has a great chameleon ability. He may look similar in a lot of his parts but has the ability to change just enough to make each part different. I was just at a sight that rated his performances and the Saving Private Ryan rated highest. He was also great in American Splendor playing Harvey Pekar. I remember Pekar when he was a regular guest on Letterman's show, he was nuts! Giammati was so much like him it was scary.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, if you ask me, American Splendor is Giamatti's greatest role. He was pretty good in Sideways, but I thought that was really overrated, too.

 

[misterblu]

The wife and I just watched this yesterday.

All around excellent movie. We loved it.

 

[Adam's Apple]

"Cinderella Man" was one of the few movies we saw last year that we thought fell into the "excellent" category. Great story, great cast, etc.

It was great to see Paul Giamatti receive a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in that movie. Hope that portends an Oscar for him.

 

[NATO AIR]

Excellent movie, wonderful acting and it really brought home for me the suffering and hardships of Americans during the Depression. It really made you understand what so many went through. A shame it has been criminally overlooked at the lib award ceremonies.

 

[Working Man]

Pretty amazing movie, I would recommend it to everyone. number of people get a grip to see the amount of suffering that was real to our Grandparents and Parents, that was real tough times.

The parts about the economy, or lack of. The deppression,, signs of things to come for us too. We are due. Lost our values and our ways.. But,, the movie was great.

 

[Dan]

Just watched it with my Dad. It is a really good movie, I enjoyed it way more than I expected to (I'm not a huge fan of Russell Crowe). Everyone did a good job, and I wonder how they got a lot of the boxing shots that they got. There were many shots in which it was pretty clear that real shots were being landed, I guess they just sped up the film to make the punches look harder. Or maybe they used softer gloves. I dunno. Great movie, though.

 

[Gunny]

It was definitely amazing how Craig Bierko was filmed, i know I wanted to see him get his ass knocked out it a very painful way.

How about Paul Giamatti, he has really become a great actor. He was so good in Sideways and Duets. I'm sure Hollywood has a hard time with him, he doesn't fit.

I have not seen the movie, but I am assuming Bierko played Max Baer?

 

[Dan]

You are assuming right, sir. Apparently, Baer's family was unhappy over his portrayal as a super-cocky playboy who was proud of the fact that he killed 2 men in the ring. Apparently, in real life, he was haunted over the death of the first man he killed, and actually lost his California boxing license for a year. After that, he gave most of his winnings to the guy's family. On the other hand, the majority of the facts are apparently true (the 2 low blows in his match against Braddock can be seen in the newsreel footage of the fight).

 

[Gunny]

You are assuming right, sir. Apparently, Baer's family was unhappy over his portrayal as a super-cocky playboy who was proud of the fact that he killed 2 men in the ring. Apparently, in real life, he was haunted over the death of the first man he killed, and actually lost his California boxing license for a year. After that, he gave most of his winnings to the guy's family. On the other hand, the majority of the facts are apparently true (the 2 low blows in his match against Braddock can be seen in the newsreel footage of the fight).

History DOES give Max Baer a bum rap. He was not a super-cocky playboy, and he put the children of the fighters he killed through college. Obviously not controversial enough to garner media attention, nor make a good movie.

Throwing "low blows" is subjective. Were they intentional? I've been in many a ring, and have been both recipient of and deliverer of "low blows," simply because you're swinging at a moving target. Only one or two of the fighters I faced intentionally threw low blows, and I never threw one intentionally.

Then there is the fact that some fighters will pull their trunks up just about to their chest, if they can. Then, the ref is charged with judgement calls. Technically, by the rules, anything below the waistband is a "low blow."

 

[Diuretic]

I enjoyed it thoroughly, it was an excellent movie and Ron Howard deserves massive credit for making such a brilliant movie (and for keeping Crowe from beating various people up in bars - a tough task). Zellwegger was terrific. It was a wonderful Everyman movie, Crowe's character was a truly amazing man. In a word, inspiring.