Synopsis
The true story of boxer Jim Braddock who, following his retirement in the 1920s, makes a surprise comeback in order to lift his family out of poverty.
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Cast
- Russell CroweJim Braddock
- Renée ZellwegerMae Braddock
- Paul GiamattiJoe Gould
- Craig BierkoMax Baer
- Paddy ConsidineMike Wilson
- Bruce McGillJimmy Johnston
- David HubandFord Bond
- Connor PriceJay Braddock
- Ariel WallerRosemarie Braddock
- Patrick LouisHoward Braddock
Recommendations
- 100
The Hollywood Reporter
Ron Howard and Russell Crowe bring the Braddock story to vivid life in a superbly acted, beautifully shot, highly engaging drama that ranks as one of Howard's best efforts. - 100
Variety
An exquisite ode to a working-class hero, Cinderella Man takes the almost impossibly perfect elements of the saga of underdog boxer James J. Braddock and fills it with emotional gravitas, wrenching danger and a panoramic sense of American life during the Great Depression. - 88
Rolling Stone
It's the classic American tale of the family man triumphant, and Howard makes sure that it hits you right in the heart. - 83
Entertainment Weekly
How exceptional a film actor is Russell Crowe? So exceptional that in Cinderella Man, he makes a good boxing movie feel at times like a great, big picture. - 80
Newsweek
As a history lesson (Depression 101), Cinderella Man feels a bit secondhand. As a true-grit tale of redemption, however, it lands one solid body punch after another. - 80
The New Yorker
It runs roughly two and a half hours, and the intensity spikes with every fight; without Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti, however, it would be flat on the canvas. They make it seem a better and more bristling film than it actually is. - 80
Time
The film is most significantly about puzzled people trying to comprehend the cosmic reversal of fortune that was the Depression. They don't have much more than raw courage and simple virtues to rely on. Unlike most period pieces, Cinderella Man encourages us to fondly recall not songs or clothes but values we have largely mislaid. - 70
Village Voice
Despite the tale's dusty pedigree, Ron Howard spins a ticket-worthy two-plus hours of movie-movie entertainment.
