Cinderella Man

Once Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) breaks his hand in a fight, he discovers that his previously reasonably successful life in the ring has come to an end - and that puts him, wife “Mae” (Renée Zellweger) and their kids on skid row. He’s gone from making $8,000 from a fight to ferreting around the docks looking for work and taking state welfare funds so they can keep their children in their now electricity-free apartment. Then serendipity takes an hand as his former manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) arranges a last-minute fight for him that might garner a meagre $250. It’s not a fight he’s expected to fare well in, but against the odds he triumphs and that enables Gould to engage with his former backer Jimmy Johnston (Bruce McGill) and that could, ultimately, lead to a world title tight fight against Max Baer (Craig Bierko). It’s a pretty savage indictment of urban American life in the 1930s and it also serves well at illustrating just how boxing so often proved the most appealing and available conduit for many an uneducated man to escape the poverty trap that would embrace not just him but his family, too. As to Braddock, his story also involves his close friend “Mike” (Paddy Considine) who embarks on a similar career path, only he has neither the skill nor the sense to make it work. For that, Braddock is especially fortunate to have Gould in his corner, a man who is less venal than many who would hire and fire at the drop of an hat. It’s the boxing action that really works well here, though, with Crowe putting heart and soul into a character that is designed to demonstrate fortitude and determination, sure, but also humanity and humility too. Giamatti steals the scenes, but Zellweger also contributes well as Ron Howard presents us with a poignant, violent and plausible story of a man motivated by family and friends who epitomised his own version of the pioneering spirit.