I went to "Southpaw" having seen a hopeful preview, grateful for the choice to see a "drama", rather than typical empty head summer blockbuster.
Boxing lends itself to good films, like baseball, stories better than the sport, in fact.
"Southpaw" has all the ingredients, fine cast, plausible locations, apparently a credible budget.
Yet, it never gets traction. Said here before, cliche' upon cliche' and poorly paced story development. The script is pretty soft, never quite gets beyond predictable.
Fine performances by Forest Whitaker, and especially Oona Laurence. The young lady has a real Natalie Wood resonance, which is praise indeed.
Jake Gyllenhaal, really worked this role, I'm sure his dedication to the project was unstinting, but not a transparent performance to me. I could see the methodic wheels turning in every shot.
He's a fine actor, but this misses, and not just so. Jarhead did similarly.
Perhaps some over direction in either case, don't know.
Rachael McAdams is a notable talent, but a bit miscast here. Just a tick of posh undermining, the "system product" aspect of character.
The first Rocky, easily dismissed now, a far better film, so was Cinderella Man. Raging Bull is on a different plateau altogether.
Southpaw's competent entertainment, but misses going from that, to significant. Hoped for more.
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