 Movie Review:
Cinderella Man
Production Company: Universal
Director: Ron Howard
Principals: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko
Rating: PG-13 (language, graphic boxing scenes)
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMCom) – Director Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man is a big and burly slice of Americana about a real-life Depression-era hero whose exploits gave hope to a generation of working-class people struggling to overcome desperate circumstances. It’s a sentimental – but not saccharine – ode to the bonds of family and the courage of one man to preserve that bond. It’s also an uncompromising tour of that terrible state called poverty, a place where people check their pride at the door and do what they must to survive. All this, neatly disguised as a boxing movie – and a cracking good one at that!
 |
| Russell Crowe portrays Jim Braddock, who entered the boxing ring to provide for his family during the Great Depression -- and became a national hero along the way. © 2005 Universal Pictures |
Reuniting much of the same team that made A Beautiful Mind, Howard and star Russell Crowe bring to life boxer James J. Braddock – dubbed “the Cinderella Man” by writer Damon Runyon because of his heroic and unlikely rise from the cinders of a once promising career to contend for the heavyweight crown. The chameleon Crowe climbs into Braddock’s skin and gives his most likable and inspiring performance. His Braddock is a hard-luck everyman, down but never out, honest to a fault, a dedicated father, husband and friend. He’s the kind of hero that could have easily been portrayed by Gary Cooper or Jimmy Stewart.
When we meet Braddock, his wife Mae (Renée Zellweger) and manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), it’s the late 1920s and the young fighter is competing at Madison Square Garden and hauling in praise and plenty of money for all. Within a few years, the bubble has burst along with the U.S. economy. Braddock has lost most of his winnings in the stock market crash and seriously injured his once lethal right hand in a series of small-money bouts. Their house in New Jersey lost, the Braddocks and their three small children live in a squalid basement apartment and are scraping by on hit-and-miss blue-collar jobs and their love for each other.
 |
| Russell Crowe portrays Jim Braddock. Connor Price portrays one of Braddock's children, Jay. © 2005 Universal Pictures |
Just one of its many strengths is how this film uses the Braddock family to put a face on the plight of poverty. From growling stomachs to watering down a bottle of milk so each child gets a little, their fight for day-to-day survival, experienced by so many during the Great Depression, jumps out of the history books and becomes real. The local church comes off well here, offering solace to the community, food and even group birthday parties to the neighborhood’s needy children. Not so the boxing promoters and wealthy businessmen who once profited from Braddock’s glory days. When Braddock shows up at their opulent club, literally hat in hand, a shameful few toss in spare change to help their former cash cow reconnect the heat in his freezing apartment. The universal stigma of poverty has made Braddock someone to avoid – not to reach out, touch and help.
Braddock might beg, but he would never steal. When his oldest son pockets meat from the butcher shop, he marches the boy back to return it and apologize. “Just because we don’t have something,” explains dad, “doesn’t give us the right to take it from others. That’s just stealing.” Poor, but never indulging in self pity, Braddock refuses to cast blame for their situation, instead expressing gratitude for what they have and that they’ve kept their family together. Others, he knows, have had it much worse.
 |
| Russell Crowe portrays Jim Braddock. Playing opposite Crowe is Rene Zellweger as his devoted wife, Mae. © 2005 Universal Pictures |
The rhythm of the movie turns again when, through an uncharacteristic stroke of good luck, Braddock gets another chance to fight in a one-shot deal that later turns into a second chance at a boxing career. Braddock battles back, broken hand and all, winning one surprise victory after another, until a championship bout looms against the lethal Max Baer, who already had killed two opponents in the ring. As the rags-to-riches story of the “Cinderella Man” spreads, Braddock lifts the spirits of the poor who gather at pubs to cheer him on and pack churches to pray for his welfare. Though each match leaves the aging boxer with another nagging injury, he greets the punishment with good-natured gratitude because to him, he’s back at work, when so many are not. Above all, his loved ones are worth even the ultimate sacrifice.
Before his triumphant title bout, a reporter asks Braddock what he’s fighting for. His reply is the best line in the film: “Milk.” That word sums up one man’s struggle to do something as basic as feeding his family. Cinderella Man is a testament to the power of love and the courage and sacrifice we are capable of when loved ones are a stake. With the charge to “love our neighbors as ourselves,” perhaps we could find a little of Jim Braddock in each of us and get in the ring to battle those age-old opponents: hunger, poverty and self-pity.
Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Study Questions
Group Activities
Explore Matthew 25: To many, sections of Matthew Chapter 25 are Jesus’ call to followers to help the poor, the sick and other less fortunate members of society. Ask someone in your group to read Matthew 25:31-46, sometimes called the “Separating of the Sheep and the Goats.” As a group, explore the meaning of this vivid section of the Gospel. Does it call us to help the poor? Discuss Cinderella Man in light of this passage. Were some characters “sheep?” Were others “goats?”
The Economics of Chance: Braddock often attributes his economic struggles to “bad breaks.” In this activity, you will explore how simple chance can have a big impact on a person’s finances. Required materials: “play” money, a pair of dice. As group leader, you are “the bank.” As the bank, you collect debts and make change. Shuffle your play money, deal five random bills to each person and ask them to count their money. The amount should vary from person to person. Discuss this briefly, equating their initial deal to being born to wealth or poverty. Next take one of the dice and, for three rounds, have each member take a roll. Score the rolls like this:
- Roll a 1: Lose your health insurance – give your largest bill (of your play money) to the group member with the most money.
- Roll a 2: Lose your job – give half of your money to the bank.
- Roll a 3: Stock Market crashes – give all your money to the bank.
- Roll a 4: Get a job – collect one more of your largest bill from the bank.
- Roll a 5: Stock market booms – double your money.
- Roll a 6: Inherit family business or fortune – triple your money.
* Once a player is out of money, a roll of 4, 5 or 6 pays nothing because this player is considered below the poverty level, and in debt. After three rolls to each player, how did you fare? Was anyone out of money? Did anyone get rich? Did the bank end up with more money? What about the person who started with the most money? What can you learn from an economic system with just these six variables? Discuss attitudes about poverty. Are the poor just “lazy” as some people believe, or is it possible that many have experienced misfortune?
Athlete Heroes: James Braddock became a sports hero because of his athletic exploits and personal circumstances. As a group, list past and present sports heroes. Discuss why they were seen as heroes. Was it talent? Courage? Character? Did they overcome a great challenge or handicap? Now, list some “fallen” heroes – popular athletes whose reputations later became less than heroic. Discuss why it may be problematic to put athletes or celebrities on a pedestal. Finally, list other types of people who might make good role models and heroes. Don’t forget heroes from the Bible!
Resources
Official Cinderella Man Web site
Theatrical Trailer
Windows Media
Quicktime
|
