Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3260 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-01-30
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Danish, English, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 139 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Cinderella Man is a wholesome slice of old-fashioned Americana, offering welcomed relief from the shallowness of many summer blockbusters. In dramatising the legendary Depression-era comeback of impoverished boxer Jim Braddock, director Ron Howard benefits from another superb collaboration with his A Beautiful Mind star Russell Crowe, whose portrayal of Braddock is simultaneously warm, noble, and tenacious without resorting to even the slightest hint of sentimental melodrama.

The desperate struggle of the American Depression is more keenly felt here than it was in Seabiscuit, and Howard shows its economic impact in ways that strengthen the bonds between Braddock, his supportive wife--Renée Zellweger--and three young children, and his loyal manager, played by Paul Giamatti; all are forced to make sacrifices leading up to Braddock's title bout against heavyweight champion Max Baer in one of greatest boxing matches in the history of the sport.

Boasting the finest production design, cinematography and editing that Hollywood can offer, this is a feel-good film that never begs for your affection; it's just good, classical American filmmaking, brimming with qualities of decency and fortitude that have grown all too rare in the big-studio mainstream. --Jeff Shannon

Synopsis
Director Ron Howard and star Russell Crowe re-team after their Oscar-winning collaboration, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, for this rousing biopic. It's the true story of boxer James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a heavyweight contender from New Jersey nicknamed the Bulldog of Bergen, who lost his fame and fortune during the Great Depression only to win the hearts of the downtrodden during a spectacular comeback. Crowe is masterful as Braddock, with Renee Zellweger playing his wife, and Paul Giamatti as his loyal friend and manager, Joe Gould. The sharply observed script devotes a significant amount of screen time to the domestic struggles of Braddock's family; developing character and place with a wealth of period detail, so when the comeback starts, the payoff is enormous. The matches themselves are unforgettable: raw, intense, riveting, with more than a passing stylistic nod to Martin Scorsese's groundbreaking 1980 film, RAGING BULL. Though it may sound a bit formulaic, one should remember that this is the true and original underdog boxer story from which all others hail, and it's riveted together with true craftsmanship. Howard has a real skill for plucking audience members' heartstrings, and the performances are first-rate. Giamatti and Crowe play off each other in a rapport perfectly suited to their roles, especially at the ring, where the one's manic intensity makes a perfect contrast to the other's warrior grace.

Customer Reviews

A MUST SEE MOVIE
I don't generally watch anything to do with boxing, I find the idea of two men fighting as a sport barbaric, however this film got me that involved in the almost true story I got caught up in the excitement of the fight scenes. I thought Russell Crowe was excellent in the film and it portrayed how the depression of the 1930's had an impact on family life as they struggle to make ends meet. Well worth watching!

Cinderella Man...The Best Boxing Film on Celluloid ? yes
The true story Of James J Braddock a professional Light Heavyweight Boxer played meticulously by Russell Crowe inspired a nation and the World in the depression times of the Hungry 30's both in the USA and UK...Braddock is struggling to put the bread on the table for his wife played by Renee Zellwegger and kids....the struggle of the times is well depicted in this genius of an almost period drama by Ron Howard's direction...Crowe as Braddock commands the screen in the almost charismatic hypnotic style we have come to expect from him...we are taken on a journey through the hardships,depression,hope and aspirations of a very great independent spiritual man with a sense of pride one would find hard to source in today's times....Cinderella Man is the mark of Excellence and no words could give credit just to how great this film actually is......satisfaction assured

Yes, it's a boxing movie (but it's a lot more into the bargain)
Initially we didn't bother to see Cinderella Man at the cinema because we're not overly fond of boxing movies. Then I later read a couple of reviews which suggested that Russell Crowe's performance was top notch. He's one of my favourite actors, so we gave it a crack.

And I'm really pleased that we did. Yes, Cinderella Man IS a boxing movie. It's full of hard, sweaty men beating the living bejaysus out of each other at a time when deaths in the boxing ring were a real risk of the sport.

However, it's also a lot more than 'just' a boxing movie. It's the story of the economic collapse of the Great Depression in the 1930s, and how it ripped the heart out of American society. The lead character, an up and coming boxer who loses all his financial security in the crash, and then loses his boxing career to boot, demonstrates exactly how the Depression affected the average American. He went from a comfortable life in suburbia to desperate straits, standing in soup kitchen lines. The family came close to losing everything; no food, no warmth, and with the parents unable to feed their children. This part of the film is chilling -- and it explains why America clings so tightly to its economic prosperity. The spectre of such a financial disaster occuring again must be a scary one.

So you've got the main plot of 'under-dog fighter comes back from nowhere' and a fascinating snapshot of American history running in the background. Director Ron Howard combines the two so that you're compelled by the personal story and educted about the historical background without even noticing. Smart man.
(In the Special Features he shows how some of his favourite scenes had to be snipped to keep the film's pacing on the right footing).

And yes, my reason for watching was Russell Crowe and he does indeed give a stand-out performance. The Special Features show footage from the actual fights of the 1930s and Crowe has captured the body posture of his character to a tee. It was spooky looking at the old fight -- for a moment it appeared to be Crowe, hunched over and slugging away...

In case I've made this sound way too worthy, don't worry. It IS a boxing film. The fight scenes had us on the edge of the sofa, yelping and wincing and shouting. And we don't even like boxing movies!
What Ron Howard has done is to combine his skill at capturing revealing moments in American history (and showing them from a personal viewpoint) with Crowe's ability to seize the audience's attention and hold it for two hours or more without blinking.

So, if you liked Raging Bull then you should enjoy this. If you enjoyed A Perfect Mind or Apollo 13 then you should enjoy this. If you're looking for another Rocky movie, then you're probably better off with Stallone...