Cinderella Man

I had no plans to see this film…. I couldn’t stand “A Beautiful Mind” and basically thought Ron Howard had peaked with "Apollo 13." Then I saw an interview with Howard and he was so thoughtful about the Depression backdrop of the film that I thought why not give it a chance… and then a friend who hates period pieces and films with costumes said he loved it. Loved it? How’s that possible? So I finally took the plunge and yes the film is great. Russell Crowe immediately stands out. He became this guy physically and it is astonishing. The drama plays out at a nice pace (with a few story flaws that are forgivable) and the boxing is riveting. Renee Z is solid even when she squishes her face up. The strength of the film comes from Crowe both in front of and behind the camera. He nursed the script for years and brought it to Howard. I’d love to see what Crowe would do with a dramatic feature in the director’s chair some day
Favorite moment: Jim telling his son they would never abandon him.
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