Movie #1151 "Southpaw" is a tough movie to watch, but the acting elevates the film to a higher level than "just another fight movie." As I've said several times in this blog, I dislike fight pictures (actually too much fighting in any kind of movie). However, it's not because fight films are formulaic --- it's kind of silly, to me, to accuse fight movies of being formulaic, like it is to say the same of rom coms --- what do you expect? But this film stands on its own, I think. i.e. it goes farther than "Rocky" in its grittiness, yet not quite as stylish as "Raging Bull" -- so it's somewhere in the middle. And It covers different ground. In this film you follow a grieving mind that has difficulty coming out of depression for the sake of his daughter, who is also going through grief. He has to change his way of life for her --- he has to change the way he fights, even. Also, it is a great how to film for pugilism. I am liking the new fight movies like this one because they instruct so much the strategies used to win fights (I'm thinking of this movie, "Creed," and "The Fighter," to name just a few) It gives people like me (the ones who don't really enjoy watching the actual fights) something else to watch and a purpose to watch. But that's the story in a nutshell, and I wasn't so much impressed with the story line, but with the acting! Jake G. is a wonder --- he has been one since Zodiac, in my opinion. He deserved an AA nomination for that film, The Prisoners, and also for Nightcrawler, but definitely he was missed for this one --- was the film out too early this year or what? Anyway, Rachel McAdams, although in the film only for a short time, manages to do another great job, along with the little girl --- what a great find she was! And Forest Whitaker is a terrific foil for Jake. So, if you want to watch a better than average fight film with really strong performances, check this one out -- it was overlooked by the academy! Would give it 3.8 out of 5 stars.
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