Casey Chong with ten must-see boxing movies for your watch list…
Boxing movies are as old as time, stretching way back to the black and white era with the likes of The Set-Up in 1949 and Somebody Up There Likes Me in 1956. Of course, no list of boxing movies would be complete without mentioning well-known titles such as Rocky, Raging Bull, Million Dollar Baby and Creed., but we’re going beyond those classics to look at a selection of boxing movies that aren’t as widely recognised and may have flown under your radar. So, tape up those fists and get ready for the ring walk, as here are ten must-see boxing movies that pack a punch…
Cinderella Man (2005)
Ron Howard and Russell Crowe’s collaboration in A Beautiful Mind not only resulted in box-office gold but also earned the movie multiple Oscar wins, notably in the Best Picture and Best Director categories. Thinking the lightning might strike twice, they reunite with another Oscar-worthy epic – a boxing movie based on the true story of James J. Braddock. Cinderella Man was sadly underperformed at the box office, especially considering the hefty $88 million budget. The movie is also seen as a lesser-known film for Crowe during his pivotal 2000s era, particularly when compared to his more prominent roles in Gladiator and the aforementioned A Beautiful Mind.
Looking back at Cinderella Man, Crowe gives his all as James J. Braddock, embodying the boxing legend’s tough resilience in the ring and a decent family man who serves as an emotional center to his character. He also shares a memorable chemistry with Renee Zellweger, who plays his supportive wife, and the same also goes for Paul Giamatti in his well-deserved Oscar-nominated role as his boxing manager, Joe Gould. Kudos to Howard for capturing the everyday struggle and desperation of the movie’s Depression-era setting, offering both emotional and dramatic stakes surrounding Braddock’s life outside the ring. Howard doesn’t forget this is a boxing movie either, as he puts his viewers into the thick of action, shooting the scenes with enough vigor and raw intensity.
Bleed For This (2016)
It’s a shame that Bleed for This was largely overlooked when it was released back in 2016. Miles Teller delivers one of his best performances to date as Vinny Pazienza, capturing the real-life boxer’s swagger and physicality. His committed performance is what elevates Ben Younger’s otherwise clichéd boxing movie about overcoming the odds.
The odds in question remains an inspiring one – a hard-to-believe but a true story of Vinny, who suffers a near-fatal car accident that causes him a severe neck injury, is told by his doctor that he may never walk again, let alone getting back to the ring. But he refuses to give up and begins to work harder than ever. His sheer willpower in achieving the impossible gives the movie a much-needed emotional weight. Younger, best known for his directorial works in Boiler Room and Prime, also deserves praise for bringing out the best in his supporting cast, namely Aaron Eckhart as Vinny’s trainer, Kevin Rooney. The boxing scenes are also thrilling as Younger successfully captures the realism and brutality of the sport.
Jawbone (2017)
Thomas Napper’s unvarnished look at how a former boxing champion back in his youth era suffers from a downfall elevates Jawbone from the tired boxing-movie clichés. The social realism touch is a welcoming approach, while Napper’s decision not to cast a name actor allows the protagonist to bring freshness and, in this case, a raw energy to the movie. The actor in this role is Johnny Harris, whose performance as the has-been Jimmy McCabe trying to bounce back after a bout of alcoholism and unemployment.
There’s no sugarcoating on his side, as the story details his daily struggle trying to make things right in his effort to launch his career comeback into the boxing world. Napper eschews the conventional filmmaking style of the boxing scene shown during the climactic third act in favor of a down-and-dirty, gritty action. Each punch and movement in the ring emphasize the sport’s brutal realism, while at the same time, mirroring Jimmy’s all-or-nothing battle to do his best in the match for regaining self-respect and personal glory. Jawbone also features great supporting turns from Ray Winstone as a cynical gym owner and Ian McShane as a fight promoter.
Journeyman (2017)
Actor Paddy Considine, who also doubles as the writer and director of Journeyman, isn’t interested in focusing on the sport itself. Sure, there’s a boxing scene earlier in the movie, and although it’s brief, it was realistically shot without any of the Hollywood-style visual flashes. But what propels Considine’s story the most is the grim aftermath of what happens when a boxer suffers from a severe brain injury. For Matty Batton, whose match with the younger Andre Bryte (Anthony Welsh) ends with a costly win, his life is never the same again. The injury leaves him with memory loss and, worst, an erratic behavior that leads him into domestic violence against his put-upon wife (Jodie Whittaker, in a strong supporting role).
Considine doesn’t shy away from the harsh reality of depicting a once-respectable veteran boxer who becomes a hollow shell of himself after everything changes for the worse. Credit goes to Considine, both onscreen and behind the camera, showcasing his versatility in the acting and directing departments. His writing delves into the raw, emotional depth of how a brain injury can alter one’s life and affect everyone else, particularly the loved ones.
Resurrecting the Champ (2007)
Best known for his works in The Contender and The Last Castle, Rod Lurie effectively blends journalism drama with boxing-movie elements in Resurrecting the Champ. The “Champ” refers to Samuel L. Jackson’s homeless character, previously a heavyweight contender back in his days. The story mainly focuses on how a struggling journalist, played by Josh Hartnett as Erik Kernan Jr., tries to come up with a juicy story, and his encounter with The Champ, a.k.a Bob Satterfield, gives him an idea to write about him.
Lurie is bold enough to strip off most of the boxing-movie formulas to make way for the truth and legacy surrounding Sattefield’s illustrious past, alternating between flashbacks and the present-day setting. The movie benefits from one of Jackson’s best overlooked performances of his illustrious career, playing a boxer who is now a former shadow of himself. But what really makes the movie interesting is how the so-called Champ makes a fool out of Erik for impersonating Satterfield all this while, resulting in ruining Erik’s professional integrity as a journalist.
The Boxer (1997)
The collaboration between Jim Sheridan and Daniel Day-Lewis has resulted in two of their greatest works in My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father, but their reunion with The Boxer is largely seen as a lesser-known entry in both of their filmographies. Despite the title, the boxing moments are part of the movie’s larger storytelling, which also deals with the ethnopolitical conflict of Northern Ireland’s The Troubles, the protagonist’s (Daniel Day-Lewis’s Danny) personal dilemma and his complex relationship with Maggie (Emily Watson).
The all-encompassing storyline might be a turn-off for fans and audience alike, expecting a conventional boxing drama. But those who are familiar with Sheridan’s work will be rewarded by his robust filmmaking style grounded in realism, including prioritizing sociopolitical contexts and character-driven stories over the mainstream, Hollywood-safe approach. Likewise, Sheridan gets the best out of Daniel Day-Lewis’s subtle lead performance, while he shows enough flair during some of the hard-hitting boxing sequences. The Boxer is also notable for its distinct bluish-tinged color palette, reflecting the movie’s overall cold and somber tone.
Diggstown a.k.a Midnight Sting (1992)
Michael Ritchie takes the familiar boxing-movie genre and gives it a twist of con-artist narrative in Diggstown, led by James Woods as Gabriel Caine. He’s a con man fresh out of prison and is already looking for his next score. The highlight of the movie revolves around Caine’s all-out bet with Diggstown’s owner, John Clayton Gillon (a perfectly sleazy Bruce Dern) on a seemingly impossible challenge: One man against ten Diggstown boxers in a boxing match in a single day. That man in question is “Honey” Roy Palmer (Louis Gossett Jr.), an ageing boxer who agrees to participate in the challenge.
Diggstown features James Woods in his typical fast-talking performance, and playing a con man is just right in his wheelhouse. He pairs well with Louis Gossett Jr., where the latter delivers a likeable performance as the tough but genial “Honey” Roy Palmer. Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, known for appearances in Jackie Chan-led Wheels on Meals and Dragons Forever, shows up as a referee and was also in charge of choreographing the well-staged boxing scenes.
Hard Times (1975)
Hard Times marks the directorial debut of Walter Hill as he explores the world of bare-knuckle street fighting during the 1930s era. Running at a lean 93 minutes, Hill embraces economical storytelling which centers on a drifter named Chaney (Charles Bronson) interested in making money through the unsanctioned bare-knuckle fight matches with the help of a promoter played by James Coburn.
Charles Bronson’s Chaney embodies the kind of tough and laconic protagonist that would become one of Hill’s signature filmmaking styles in his future works. Besides, Bronson’s trademark stoic personality makes him a perfect fit for such a role. The fights are lean and brutal; all shot in a minimalist style with plenty of long takes and none of the flashy Hollywood excess. Hard Times also successfully captures the poverty-stricken and working-class Depression-era of the 1930s, thanks to Philip H. Lathrop’s atmospheric cinematography and Hill’s keen eye for gritty visuals.
Gladiator (1992)
Before Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning Gladiator, there was a similarly titled movie eight years earlier. Except the latter one has nothing to do with a sword-and-sandals genre, but rather a boxing movie directed by Road House’s Rowdy Herrington. The movie focuses on Tommy Riley (James Marshall), who is forced to join the underground boxing to pay off his father’s (John Heard) hefty debts. The former’s solid and no-nonsense lead performance proves he’s on the right track transitioning from television, best known for his recurring roles as James Hurley in Twin Peaks, to feature films.
Too bad Gladiator didn’t resonate well with the audience back in the day. Frankly, it deserves a second chance. Herrington does a good job balancing his movie with a mix of gritty boxing drama and teen angst narrative. Not to mention allowing his actors to shine, including notable supporting turns from pre-Jerry Maguire’s Cuba Gooding Jr. and Brian Dennehy, where the latter plays a scheming boxing promoter.
Southpaw (2015)
Southpaw could have been an Oscar contender, especially given Jake Gyllenhaal’s impressive physical transformation to get into the ideal shape of a professional boxer. His sheer dedication to achieving such a physique, coupled with his typically intense performance, is a feat that Academy voters would love to reward him with an acting nomination. Too bad that didn’t happen, as Gyllenhaal’s committed role as Billy “The Great” Hope was largely overlooked at the time.
The story may have been clichéd, but director Antoine Fuqua manages to compensate for that with great acting not only from Gyllenhaal but also from Rachel McAdams as Billy’s wife, Maureen. The boxing sequences are top-notch, with Fuqua emphasizing on the visceral motion of the punches. He equally does a good job in injecting the emotional weight with resonant themes of grief and redemption.
What are your favourite boxing movies? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
