Cinderella Man Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
One man's extraordinary fight to save the family he loved.
When America was on its knees, he brought us to our feet.
During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, James J. Braddock—a.k.a. the Cinderella Man—was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace who had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him—his family—was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. However Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man became the mythic athlete. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the disenfranchised on his shoulders, Braddock rocketed through the ranks, until this underdog chose to do the unthinkable: take on the heavyweight champ of the world, the unstoppable Max Baer, renowned for having killed two men in the ring.
| Russell Crowe | Jim Braddock |
| Renée Zellweger | Mae Braddock |
| Paul Giamatti | Joe Gould |
| Craig Bierko | Max Baer |
| Paddy Considine | Mike Wilson |
| Bruce McGill | Jimmy Johnston |
| David Huband | Ford Bond |
| Connor Price | Jay Braddock |
| Ariel Waller | Rosemarie Braddock |
| Patrick Louis | Howard Braddock |
| Rosemarie DeWitt | Sara Wilson |
| Linda Kash | Lucille Gould |
| Nicholas Campbell | Sporty Lewis |
| Gene Pyrz | Jake |
| Chuck Shamata | Father Rorick |
| Ron Howard |
8.00 out of 10 (39030 votes)
Visitor Reviews
I've seen it several times and my 82 year old mother loved it.
posted on 28 Aug 2009Like many of Crowe's movies Cinderella Man is densely packed with detail and compelling acting. The final fight scene has me on the edge of my seat, even though I've seen the movie many times. The interaction between Crowe (boxer Braddock) and Giamatti (his manager) is especially delightful. The love, warmth and devotion shown in the Braddock family is inspiring.I took my mother to see the movie. I warned her it was about boxing and had some violent scenes in it. "Sure, I know Jim Braddock, we used to listen to the fights on the radio when we were kids." She remembered the Baer-Braddock and Baer-Carnera fights. My mother! After the movie she started talking about her childhood, which she has always been reluctant to do, and some of the hardships her family had. She remembered all the men out of work on the streets and many calling at the door looking for any kind of work. I got a better understanding of how difficult it really was and a better appreciation of her. She called me later to tell me how much she liked the movie and how much it meant to her.An excellent movie which I highly recommend, even if you think you won't like a boxing movie. I hope the phone incident doesn't keep anyone from seeing it nor detract from the many awards it deserves to receive.
Best Movie I Have Seen All Year!!!
posted on 22 Aug 2009This was one of the best movies I have seen all year.I am not a fan of Russell Crowe, although, I do like Renee Zellweiger. Russell Crowe was fabulous in this movie.The movie starts out slow, as it introduces you to the family, but once it gets going, it truly delivers.It has all of the elements of a great movie. Ron Howard is proving himself to be an awesome director! This movie had me on the edge of my seat throughout the movie.The fighting scenes were not too graphic that you could not look, and yet intense enough to cause you to feel the fighter's pain. I would rank this with the original Rocky films. A very inspirational movie that keeps you entertained.FANTASTIC!!!
Shameless, Manipulative, but it Works
posted on 20 Aug 2009Yet another movie about the triumph of the spirit, filtered through the lens and overall vision of Ron Howard, and acted superbly by today's most masculine actor, Russell Crowe. This is the story of Jim "Jimmy" Braddock, and his rise from being down in the dumps during the Depression Era and becoming the biggest man in the world of boxing thanks to the solid support of his fierce manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti).If it weren't such a well-told story and did not have the presence of Crowe and Giamatti, this would probably by a color-by-numbers tale of redemption. Ron Howard knows an audience and establishes a quick relationship with Braddock. He is seen as a stern but loving husband and father, a man who at the start of the film has to step down from boxing due to a hand injury which made him unbankable for business. In seeing him work the docks and in one painful scene, beg for money, we feel for him and root for his eventual success (even when many of us who may have read his bio know he went on to bigger and better things). The thing is, this story has been done one too many times to garner a moving outcome, so when the decisive fight between Braddock and Max Baer (Craig Bierko) takes place, there's the predictability of emotions but no real suspense. Our hero is a very good actor playing a dead role.Even so, Cinderella MAN is a good film. Renee Zellweger brings in her own gutsy persona as Mae Braddock, which also benefits the film, but has little to do throughout. However, as a whole, there is less weight here than in A BEAUTIFUL MIND, and a little pigeon-holing in regards to the role of Max Baer -- seen mainly as a one-note baddie, again an old-trick of the hat to give the audience its Big Moment climactic villain (even when the real man was much different) -- but Crowe keeps on demonstrating just how powerful an actor he has become over the years of playing in American films.
The ROCKY of the new millennium
posted on 18 Aug 2009This really gets an 8.5.1970 = ROCKY 1980 = Raging Bull 1990 = Well there was...umm...Play it to the bone 2000 = Cinderella ManRussell Crowe is excellent as a down on his luck boxer. Unfortunately he seems to still be in character (lol). The movie opened to low sales ($18M, 2M below minimum expectations), but it is definitely a movie worth seeing. The setting (as for most movies set in the depression-era) shows the gravity of the 1930's economy on the common man (and well off joe as well). The scenes with the children and Renee Z (who i do not usually like) were heartbreaking. JJ Braddock's story is an amazing one indeed. His courage in the face of overwhelming odds was inspirational. Crowe's comes close to perfection getting 8.5, only because he is not the first to play this type of character.The entire movie is stolen by Paul Giamatti, who plays the booky. He is of course why the movie goes from simply a boxing movie with great fight shots to an excellent boxing movie with great fights shots and believable characters. He brings the best out of both Crowe and Zellweger.The man should absolutely be nominated for best supporting actor (at the Oscars, not just the GGlobes). He is the supporting actor you always see and say "I know that guy...what is his name?"Notable Films: Singles, Negotiator, Duets, Confidence (see this movie)PS. Did Max Baer actually fight with no defense and only hay-makers?
A Cinderella's dream
posted on 18 Aug 2009Sad story, poor family, no food, no milk, nothing that could help a family, but with a god's hand and with a freelancer fight a man changed his life. A story that uses a guy with strong mind, the family care, and also a little bit of luck makes a retired boxer in a very very bright star in the press. So what can we learn about this movie? If you have a dream do not stop fighting for it, because one day you would reach it. Fight for a better live, for you and for your family. I invite everyone to watch this movie, 10 stars movie, why? just check it out because when you leave the cinema room you would not say that you had a bad moment.
A simple, moving and very human story about surviving and triumph
posted on 18 Aug 2009Ron Howard's 'Cinderella Man' is the story of of Depression-era prize-fighter James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe) and his wife Mae Braddock (Renee Zellweger). Howard gives us a glimpse through the ups and downs of their lives. In the beginning we see the Braddocks as a happy family and then we see them during the depression era: James struggling to find work at the docks, his fighting with a broken hand, giving his daughter his breakfast meal, Mae watching her children get ill, she and the children stealing wood from the sign to provide warmth…we are provided with many such hard hitting scenes. We see James trying to keep his head high until despair wins over when he begs for money to get his children back. Through it all the family stick together and their love and devotion to one another keeps them strong. Then things take a turn for the better, when Gould (his former manager) comes up with an opportunity to box. Braddock is back in the ring and continues climbing the ladder to success. He does not let success corrupt him. The Braddocks remain aware of where they have come from. In a wonderful restaurant dinner scene, we see Mae slip some meat in her purse (to feed the children at home). Mae tries her best to be supportive but she fears for his life and her fears become more apparent when James agrees to fight Max Baer.Howard's direction is good, nothing outstanding. There are several memorable scenes (some of which I've already mentioned) most of which is because of the actors' performances.Credit goes to Crowe, Zellweger and Giamatti for turning this movie from good to great. Crowe fits his character like a glove and delivers one of his finest performances. His restraint makes his character human. His chemistry with Zellweger and with Giamatti stand out and make the scenes memorable. Zellweger is gold. Can this actress ever go wrong? Giamatti is outstanding. Check out his facial expression in various scenes especially the one where he requests McGill to take Braddock back. Bruce McGill is adequate and Paddy Considine does well (though his plot appears to deviate). Craig Bierko's Max Baer seems more like a typical one-dimensional villain, but then again, this is not his story.On the whole, this movie is more than worth a watch and one of my favorite 'boxing' movies. It's not just about winning but more about surviving. It's a wonderfully simple, moving and very human story even though it's predictable.
Slightly better than average movie, but nothing special
posted on 12 Aug 2009This movie has nothing special about it, it is a story we've all seen a hundred times before. You don't care about the characters, the acting is mediocre, Russell Crowe's accent is lousy, there isn't much of a story.. It's all so.. blah. I really hope this movie doesn't win many if any awards, there are plenty of contenders who deserve recognition more than this uninteresting movie. Renée Zellweger was decent in it but again it wasn't a performance worthy of any gratuitous attention. There are many bad shots in the movie, and they need to work on their lighting and sound skills. For such a Hollywoodized production you'd think they wouldn't mix shots of light and darkness for one scene (one in particular, when they were outside of the church) and the sound wouldn't crackle so much but maybe that is a theater problem. This movie doesn't deserve half of the hoopla it receives.. Final verdict: move along, nothing to see here.
The Cinderella man-
posted on 12 Aug 2009Me and my fiancé were looking for something to do on a bored Friday night, so we decided to go to the movies.We chose "the Cinderella man" to be honest it wasn't "we" but more me. I have to admit i am a great fan of boxing movies, they tent to be very inspirational as for example rocky I & II. My fiancé was disappointed by the the-ma covers by the movie but when she left she wasn't as disappointed as when she got the tickets. The movie start of slow covering various aspects of the American depression. This helps create a very emotional atmosphere, it shows James J Braddock an ex-boxer struggles to keep his 3 children family alive. James manages to survive and get back in boxing business, the fights are very well interpreted, many scenes are done with a hand cam. Its so realistic that it actually makes you think your watching the fight live. After twists and turns James manages to prevail against the hunger and starvation. And with scenes that will leave you breathless and there are times when you end up that you end up at the edge of your seat.Overall the movies is very sentimental and is the best bet to take your girlfriend. So go out there and see it !!
Should have been Best Picture
posted on 10 Aug 2009Still can't believe it lost to a movie about two faggot-cowboys.Hollywood...it's going to be a very long time before you get any of my money at the box office again.Cinderella Man was the best movie I've seen in years. Why was it not even nominated?I have to write ten lines to comment, and I can't think of anything else to say. I'm speechless at the results of this years' Academy Awards...the Academy must ALL be a bunch of flaming-faggots who have to validate their peculiar existence with a fake gold statue.Someone tell me...what's their beef with Russel Crowe?
Not As Good As People Say It Is
posted on 08 Aug 2009like i said its not as good as people say it is, it really isn't that good at all it has no originality, its just like every other movie about courageous stories, people, etc., the acting is okay, but most definitely nothing special, or Oscar-worthy, everything else is flawed, and it really just doesn't have anything good about it, except that it has a good message, and costumes, and it is fairly realistic to that time period, but otherwise it shouldn't have such a high rating or be on the top 250, its all just overrated garbage, which is what Ron Howard has been making lately, I've seen one too many of his bad movies, and i just don't think ill go to any of his other movies anymore i guess i recommend this though, because it is an OK family-like movie
The haunting presentation of a much-told plot.
posted on 08 Aug 2009A middle-aged man with three kids at home and a wife he forever loved, struggling through tough financial conditions in a society that has played hard on him, becomes a mass hero after his miraculous rise to fame.Yes, I've heard and seen such stories numerous times before. I know how this hero keeps idealism even under extreme poverty, I know what words he speaks when he tells his wife it'll be okay, I've seen how he remembers what he's fighting for every time he's down, I've seen how his faithful and loving wife always provides him support, and I know how common people always casts him as their idol in the struggle through life.Yet, when I see "Cinderella Man", I shed a couple of tears at two places, I sit tight holding my breath each time Braddock receives a punch, and I clap after the last fight. The passionate work by Ron Howard and the haunting performance by Russell Crowe makes me almost one of the thousand 'ugly Jersey friends' that supported Braddock that night. You know what makes a film great? When you feel like you're a part of it.
When formula rises far and above the norm.
posted on 06 Aug 2009It's not like there haven't already been any boxing movies (Million Dollar Baby), or Depression era "underdog sports icon gives hope to the common man" movies (Seabiscuit) done in the last couple years. Even Russell Crowe seemed at times to be retreading his role from Gladiator, the former hero who meets misfortune but rises back up against the odds. But although Cinderalla Man doesn't bring any new themes to the screen, and yes, is a little on the formulaic side, somehow it does everything so -right- that it's easily one of the top films of the year.Crowe, Renée Zellweger, and Paul Giamatti form a triumvirate of strong performances, each complementing the other and not one overacting his or her role. Some superb directing and camera-work led to the most intense fight scenes I've ever seen in a movie about boxing, as well as memorable moments outside of the ring (my favorites include a clever bit of bait-and-switch perspective at Joe's apartment, and a priceless shot when Jimmy teaches his young daughter how to punch him in the head).The period sets are beautifully crafted and believable, to the point where you can almost taste the hunger and desperation felt by all but the wealthiest. There's also something to be said about the value of understatement, of which Cinderella Man does a very good job; the story moves along from scene to scene without coddling the audience by showing everything, and as a result never drags or has a dull moment.In a couple small spots, formula rears its head - most noticeably the "time to get in shape" training montage seen in just about every sports movie in existence - but luckily the quality of direction, acting, and production value is enough to set this one apart from average fare. A masterful setup going into the third act gives you a very real sense of fear and uncertainty right before that final fight everyone knows is coming; all but the most jaded film viewers are guaranteed to be on edge because by this time, you'll genuinely care about Jim's survival.With so many things done well, I can think of very little that needs to be changed. Top-notch material all around.
great effects and editing
posted on 06 Aug 2009Among the many good things about this movie are the perfectly fabulous special effects and editing, notably of the fight scenes. Normally I do not like to watch fighting, but this movie takes you to the insides of what happens to all the people, not just the pugilists.And I am wondering, as an editor myself, exactly what was used to make the noises of the punches. Perhaps it's best not to know. At any rate, the sound track was terrific, including of course the special music, the music we hear but to which we pay no attention.Other aspects of the movie have already been commented on very well and at length.
Moving and Inspiring
posted on 02 Aug 2009I had wanted to watch this film for a long a while and finally did last night. I loved it this film had a snowball effect it just got better and more moving and more inspiring as the film went on .Russell Crowe turns in yet another great performance he always does,as a man who is courageous loving and humble plus a loving family man . Braddocks trainer is also performed brilliantly but the name of the actor escapes me I'm sorry . Renne Zellweeger is also very stoical as his loving devoted life .I just really loved the way that this film did not pull punches it showed how Braddock fell but never gave up hope and belief in himself or his family . and then finally he begins his remarkable rise back to the top of his boxing profession . The final bout between Baer and Braddock was one of the best shot film fights I think I have ever seen to me the whole film was a sort of symphony with the final fight being a crescendo and what a crescendo I was moved to tears at the end.A wonderful film
Disappointingly routine sports biopic
posted on 31 Jul 2009While I enjoyed this movie very much watching it, it's resonated with me so little I'd tell anyone who asks that it's just okay. I'd give it a slight recommendation, but only as a period piece, b/c it does a somewhat moving job recapturing the feel of the Great Depression. The characters are so flat I felt like I never even met them. The hero is just a complete saint and the villain so evil he brags about the fact that he killed an opponent. And of course, the hero must win so that he can keep his angelic family together and happy. When they pile stuff on like that, of course it's completely obvious what's gonna happen.Perhaps some more focus on Braddock's career would have established him as an underdog much better. As it is, we see his early great days, then jump ahead to the depression where we see how much pain his family's in, and when he decides to box again it's mentioned in passing how his career went downhill after one fight. We do see a fight where he does poorly, but that's not enough. The championship match is apparently the greatest upset in boxing history, and I wasn't getting that vibe at all.Perhaps some more focus on the depression would have been better. Paddy Considine had a memorable supporting character, but he's barely there. I think some newsreel clips or some more stuff in the "Hoovervilles" would have been great. The tagline says Braddock brought America to its feet when it was on its knees, so maybe if I got a better sense of how on its knees the country was the victory would have been much more inspiring. As it is almost everything is about Braddock and his wife, and they have such great hearts that of course they can't wind up unhappy! Maybe it would have been better if they gave the wife part to a character actress, instead of Renee Zellwegger who'd insist on hogging screen time. Oh excuse me, ACADEMY AWARD WINNER RENEE ZELWEGGER! Of course I'm biased b/c I can't stand her, so even though I love Russell Crowe I definitely didn't care about the family's togetherness.Perhaps some more focus on the opponent Max Baer would have been great. I heard the new book about the fight by Jeremy Schaap focuses on both fighters, and that sounds like an interesting read. Apparently Baer spent the rest of his life remorseful about the fighter he killed, and he was one of the most popular champions ever. In the movie he's such a monster I couldn't take him seriously-the character was out of place in a drama as serious in tone as this one. I at least liked the goofy charm Craig Bierko brought to the part, in what I hope's a star making performance. Baer seemed kind of like a dopey monster as played by him-he actually reminded me of Biff in Back to the Future. Again, not a serious threat, but the only character who I thought brought some life to the proceedings. Paul Giamatti's one of my favorite actors, but I just thought he was given a typical gruff trainer role to work with here.The movie's been mentioned as the first serious Oscar contender of the year, but I think the only areas where it deserves consideration are art decoration and cinematography.
Second best boxing movie, ever!
posted on 29 Jul 2009Falling just behind Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull," "Cinderella Man" is a magnificent masterpiece accurately depicting the life of Jim Braddock, the story of a man who was on top of the boxing world, fell to the Depression, and was able to build himself up to fight again for his family and his friends. Ron Howard did an extraordinary job of portraying Braddock's life and the Great Depression. Using unique and new camera angles that show not only the boxer's perspective of the fight, but also those of the audience, Howard made the film seem very neat and always kept you watching and wondering what was going to happen next. He also used much of that new amateur-like style of filming with the camera, making the shots unsteady and trembling to build up tension in the audience, almost as if the camera itself is an audience member trying to see the fight and what the opponents are doing when in their corners. And although much of the film's fight scenes are greatly inspired and "copied" off of "Raging Bull," Howard was able to make them seem new and different with the incorporation technology and his own filming style.Russell Crowe, after watching this movie, is one of the few great actors we have left who knows how to choose a good movie and make the character seem real. His portrayal of Jim Braddock is no different. Once in the depression, the audience is supposed to truly feel bad for him as he tries to survive without money and a job. Crowe does this very well and is able to look the part as well, much like he did in "A Beautiful Mind" in some scenes. He then further builds on his performance when in the ring, appearing exhausted at times, and strong at others. He also appears much like any other normal man who knows what he has to do and how he has to do it. Paul Giamatti plays Braddock's trainer and manager, Joe Gould, and does a fabulous job doing it. At times he is the "comic relief," being able to take a crappy situation and make it funny. But, he is then able to take that attitude and push it aside as he becomes worried or anxious when Braddock is in the ring, knowing it is his fault if anything happens. Renee Zellweger also does a good job portraying Jim Braddock's wife, Mae. Although not as good as Crowe, she does a wonderful job making the audience feel her pain as she is concerned before and after every fight for Braddock's health. One also feels her pain when she tries to bring up her family in the middle of the Depression with no money and a very small house, relying on her husband to hopefully get some work and bring home some money. One final note on performances, Craig Bierko plays Max Baer, the heavyweight champion Braddock has to face in 1935, and does a good job doing it. He is just the guy you love to hate as you watch the movie and is very creepy and evil like. All in all, "Cinderella Man" is an awesome movie that everyone should see before they die, regardless of if they like boxing or not. It is a film that accurately portrays the life of one of America's greatest men who brought inspiration and hope to those who had nothing.
Howard & Crowe prove their talent once again.
posted on 29 Jul 2009If "Cinderella Man" proved one thing, it is how an unusual title and a jaded audience can bury a perfectly good film. The film fits the bill of a real crowd-pleaser. From the moment of the announcement of a new collaboration between Ron Howard and Russell Crowe (who made "A Beautiful Mind" together) I knew this would be a classic. The story of Jimmy Braddock is inspiring and perfectly suited to cinema.Many depression-era films have been made, but not many recently. The important part of the picture is the boxing. While not as hyper-realistic as "Raging Bull", the boxing never seems fake. "Cinderella Man" is well worth the watch.8.4 out of 10
Simply Entrancing!
posted on 25 Jul 2009I've seen a lot of boxing movies. Be it Rocky or Ali, they've all been quite amazing. Cinderella Man though is in my opinion one of the BEST boxing movies ever made....probably because it's not all about boxing! The story-line is revealed so artistically that as the film progresses, one actually understands what James Braddock goes through. The film is pretty much Braddock's fight for his family and self-confidence. Russell Crowe simply stunned me because i couldn't really see him playing Braddock's role, but he pulled it off really well.The pace at which the film goes is just right (one of Ron Howard's trademarks now)...though some people found it to be a drag in the middle, the film picks up pace at JUST the right time. It is this variant pace in fact that leaves the viewers absolutely engaged in the final fight (Braddock vs Baer). A few people actually started hooting in the cinema when Braddock was announced champion! Such was the effect of the pace at which the story-line was revealed.The fact that this is a true story makes the film look even better! The entire cast was great...but Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti stood out as THE BEST. Overall, this was one fantastic film and no picture can do justice to the real James Braddock's career, other than Cinderella Man!
Cinderella Man was brilliant and you know it
posted on 21 Jul 2009I'm sorry, but I find it completely ridiculous that people push aside and insult any movie dealing with boxing because they claim it is a remake of Rocky. I often hear people complain about how Maggie Fitzgerald from Million Dollar Baby was made out to be a fem-Rocky Balboa, and, despite how ridiculous it seems, even how Jake La Motta's life was depicted incorrectly in Raging Bull to make him emulate the desperate lifestyle of Balboa. I mean, come on! There's no doubt in my mind that Cinderella Man has proved to be one of the most entertaining and most inspirational movies of our time. Maybe it's just that people like to complain, or that they've naturally associated any and every boxing movie following the latest of the Rocky franchise with weak imitation and unoriginality, or maybe their opinions are focused too much on the way that the pessimistic critics of big-time newspapers tend to find something horribly wrong with every movie ever brought into existence. Okay, I'm through with my rant now. Besides, another unarguable point (which many individuals have brought up before)is that Cinderella Man is in fact based on the life of James Braddock. They lived during the Depression and people actually did live like Braddock and his family did in the movie. He actually was an underdog who was forced to fight in order to provide food for his family, even after he was supposedly retired and past his prime. And there actually was a heavy-hitting machine of a world champion named Max Baer who Braddock had to step into the ring with... okay I'm done with my rant now. :)
Outstanding
posted on 30 Aug 2009May be the best film of the year (it is only May). Great performances by the entire cast. The boxing scenes are the best I've seen, and the emotional aspect of the story brings it all together. As a nation, I think we have forgotten what the depression of the thirties did to us. All the lives it ruined. This movie shows how one family was able to break out of all the squalor, and still remain a family unit. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this movie. Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, and Paul Giamatti are all Oscar worthy. This movie has it all. It is Ron Howard's best film. Special note about the music score by Thomas Newman. It really drives the entire film with its Irish themes.