07.04min
After a fight, the world heavyweight boxing champion Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) returns home to his aroused wife (Renée Zellweger). “Girls either really hate it or love it,” says Gavin. “My girlfriend thinks it’s a right turn-on.”
20.08min
We flash back several years to when Braddock was an up-and- coming (albeit hardly youthful) fighter. “Crowe does look like the real thing,” says Lanre. “Boxers were a lot older in those days — some went on until their fifties.”
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45.40min
Braddock’s trainer Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) offers his unconditioned boxer a big fight at Madison Square Garden. “That can happen,” says Eric. “A guy can easily hurt himself in training and if it’s a big bill they have to find a replacement. Often they have to go lower down the ranks as the guys who are up to the match wouldn’t do it without the proper training. I wouldn’t.”
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53.09min
We get Braddock’s eye view as he fights John Corn Griffin, the No 5 contender for the heavyweight crown. “The combinations are good,” approves Lanre. “The fighting is realistic and the trainers’ chat between rounds is exactly what I would expect to hear.”
60.10min
We cut to Braddock training. “This looks like the real thing,” says Gavin. “The bag work, the speedball, the sparring are all very well done.”
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76.18min
Braddock’s ribs are broken by a body shot. He stops throwing punches. “I took a shot that broke my ribs once and I could only just hold my hands up,” nods Lanre.
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91.48min
The mild-mannered Braddock is reluctantly drawn into an argument with Max Baer, a fellow fighter. “Most boxers are quite reserved,” says Eric. “All that shouting we see on television is just hype so that the big guys can sell more tickets. Most boxers respect each other as we all know the hard work that you have to do to get there.”
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122.03min
Baer and Braddock are now in the ring, stuck in a clinch. “It’s great that the film shows the boring bits — it’s not all bang, bang, bang,” says Lanre. “And seeing it from the fighter’s viewpoint really works — when you’re hit hard that is what you see.”
Verdict
“Much more realistic than most boxing films,” says Lanre. “Technically, it was spot-on. I believed the fights and the depiction of the era.” “Russell Crowe must have really worked hard to deliver such a performance,” says Gavin. “The only unbelievable thing is that it was directed by Ron Howard — Richie Cunningham in Happy Days!” adds Eric.
Cinderella Man (12) is out to buy and rent on Jan 30.
Next week: Pride & Prejudice