New Boxing Movie Opens THIS Friday!
Boxing and cinema have long been a one-two punch for both fight fans and film fans alike.
I had the opportunity this week to see a special advance screening of the new “Southpaw” movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Oona Laurence, Forest Whitaker and (rapper/boxing promoter) 50 Cent. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Kurt Sutter, this latest ode to boxing opens THIS Friday, July 24.
I always a enjoy a good fight film and heading into this preview, the obvious questions arose:
How believable would Jake Gyllenhaal be as a professional prizefighter?
How predictable would the plot be?
Would the fight scenes look “hokey” and fake?
And of course, the movie will, invariably, be compared to big-screen classics like “Rocky,” “Raging Bull,” “Million Dollar Baby” and/or more current boxing flicks like Mark Wahlberg in “The Fighter.”
But “Southpaw” stands on its own and is a very entertaining movie that also jabs at your heartstrings. Gyllenhaal’s “Billy Hope” isn’t a lovable loser type like Rocky Balboa but you still find yourself rooting for him.
This action-drama is not as predictable as one would assume as it has some plot twists that keeps you on your toes. It also has touches of humor in it too as it tells the tale of hardscrabble New York boxing champion Billy Hope (Gyllenhaal) who rose to fame and fortune only to lose it all. Yes, I know, this rings a bell, right? It’s familiar territory that has been portrayed many times on the silver screen. But this story of redemption–both in and out of the ring–is different than others in that it rings true with its more authentic viewpoint of what a pro fighter goes through. Showing the dynamics between a boxer and his wife, child, promoter, trainer, etc. offers a better perspective of what a champion goes through to reach the top. It also portrays the sacrifices that athletes and their families must endure to gain success. Yep, the struggle is real.
Should you go see this film? Yes, especially if you love boxing. I give it “Two Fists Up”! The cast delivers KO performances and the script hooks you in and keeps you riveted as you witness Gyllenhaal’s transformation from PPV millionaire to a humble, desperate man. The most hardcore of boxing fans may still balk that some scenes are not 100% believable but, remember, this is a Hollywood movie after all. “Southpaw” should do well at the box office as it will appeal to a mainstream audience too.
The cast is excellent with solid performances by Forest Whitaker as trainer Tick Wills, 50 Cent as a boxing promoter, Oona Laurence as Jake’s daughter (who really shines in her role) and Rachel McAdam’s as his wife. And I give the filmmakers a shout out for using legendary venues like Madison Square Garden and Caesars Palace in the fight scenes (which will satisfy those who want to see some make-believe blood and guts onscreen).
An extra bonus for me was seeing some familiar faces in the film like Los Angeles trainers Terry Claybon and Shadeed Suluki, pro fighters Roy Jones Jr., Victor Ortiz and Willie Monroe Jr., Las Vegas referee Tony Weeks, ring announcers Jimmy Lennon Jr. and David Diamonte, HBO’s Jim Lampley, promoter Lou DiBella and more. The attention to detail also applies to the dressing room, press conference and boxing gym scenes in which the filmmakers strive to make everything look legit with everything from the sanctioned championship belts, hand wraps, media credentials, athletic commissions and more.
As early photos reached social media, critics and fans were quick to point out Gyllenhaal’s orthodox (right-handed) stance in the movie. The original screenplay was written with rapper Eminem (a lefty) in mind. Without giving away any spoilers, this southpaw reference is finally addressed toward the end of the film which follows the tragic ups and downs of New York boxer Billy Hope (“Believe in Hope”), who is forced to face his demons as well as his nemesis Miguel Gomez (as fighter Miguel “Magic” Escobar).
Having bulked up after putting in countless hours at the gym (with Terry Claybon), a “tattooed” and beefed-up Gyllenhaal fulfills the role of a slugger to a T. To me, he isn’t the first actor that comes to mind if I were casting a boxing movie. He is far from the obvious choice to play a hapless and hopeless boxer. With his choir-boy face and large doe eyes, his looks don’t scream out rugged, gritty, fierce beast in the ring. But his performance is spot on in this role. His punch-drunk body language and slower reflexes (in both body and brain) reminded me of many fighters I’ve met and interviewed through the years; fighters that have taken one too many punches in the gym or on the canvas.
Jake’s squint-eyed confusion, boxers’ shuffle, and anger and frustration at not being able to comprehend the simplest of tasks lends gravitas to his role (as a poor foster child who also spent time in jail as an adult) who only has the sport of boxing to rely on as a way of survival.
Getting beat up is a small price to pay when sometimes you have no other option.
The majority of real-life boxers often turn to the fight game as a way out of poverty, an avenue to escape a life of abuse, crime, drugs, gangs and more. And what I liked about “Southpaw” is that it does not glamorize the sport. It shows the glitz and glamor but it also reveals the seedy underbelly–the lying, the cheating, the lack of loyalty in the game. It also captures the wear and tear on a boxer’s body while also digging into the soul and psyche of a prizefighter and why they choose this profession.
“Southpaw’s” tale of redemption is a powerful one and the cast is a knockout. GO SEE IT!
Photos: The Weinstein Company
