#87: Cinderella Man (2005)

Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti
Academy Awards: Nominated three times. Paul Giamatti for Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing and Best Makeup.
Plot: The story of James Braddock, a supposedly washed-up boxer who came back to become a champion and an inspiration in the 1930s.
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #32

“I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them.”

Cinderella Man is a story of hope, redemption and of under-dogs overcoming obstacles. Every time I watch it I get goosebumps, which count for something because most of the time they are beyond my control. The “chill effect” tells you that whatever you are experiencing is making an impact deeper than just on a superficial level.

Russell Crowe is phenomenal as James J. Braddock, an aging heavyweight boxer who has always been a mediocre fighter at best. A hand injury practically derails his career and he is forced to go to work on the docks in order to feed his family, which is proving to be quite difficult as this film takes place during The Great Depression. But when an unexpected opportunity comes along, Braddock takes advantage of it and the rest as they say is history.

Paul Giamatti plays Braddock’s trainer and after you watch it you will understand why he was nominated for an Academy Award. There’s no way you can say he didn’t deserve it.

Ron Howard is also outstanding as the director of Cinderella Man. He is able to capture the human condition during those hard-times magnificently. Howard also never loses focus of the story and what all it stands for.

The film is centered around Braddock’s rise as a boxer, but the story stands for so much more. It’s about the human spirit, about never giving up, and about seeing the best in everything possible condition.

UPDATE

Thirty-two was a tad high for this movie, but #87 seems to be a better fit. Truth be told, I was probably sucked in by the “true story” effect the first time around. Cinderella Man is in the top-100, and will more than likely stay there as the years rack up.

Fun Fact: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Wahlberg were all considered for the role of Jimmy Braddock.

Hint for #86: Fake IDs were never viewed the same again.

Peace Be The Journey.