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"CINDERELLA MAN"
(2005) (Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Heavy Moderate Heavy *Mild None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None Mild Minor Moderate
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Moderate Heavy Moderate Moderate Heavy


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: To keep his family together during the Great Depression, a former aspiring boxer climbs his way back into the ring and gets a shot at the heavyweight championship in this inspiring tale based on a true story.
PLOT:
It's 1933, America is in the depths of the Great Depression, and Jim Braddock (RUSSELL CROWE) is just one of millions who must beg for day jobs just to try to make ends meet. Once a promising professional boxer under manager Joe Gould (PAUL GIAMATTI), Jim has slipped into mediocrity, eventually causing promoter Jimmy Johnston (BRUCE MCGILL) to revoke his boxing license. Needing to support his wife Mae (RENÉE ZELLWEGER) and their three kids, Jay (CONNOR PRICE), Rosemarie (ARIEL WALLER) and Howard (PATRICK LOUIS), Jim ends up scraping for work along with the likes of Mike Wilson (PADDY CONSIDINE), a former broker who thinks the men should unionize for better pay.

A proud man, Jim is just concerned with keeping his family together, a proposition that becomes more difficult when their electricity is turned off due to overdue bills. When he's just about run out of options, Joe arrives with a temporary financial reprieve. A heavyweight bout needs a last minute contender to battle the number two boxer in the world, and it will be Jim's swan song in the sport.

Yet, he's so impressive in the ring that Johnston reinstates his license as Jim begins to win more bouts. All of which is leading toward Max Baer (CRAIG BIERKO), the heavyweight champ of the world who's so dangerous that he's already killed two opponents in the ring. As Mae worries about his safety, and he ends up becoming a symbol of hope for everyday, downtrodden Americans, Jim trains with Joe in hopes of taking on Baer and challenging him for the title.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're into boxing movies and/or are fans of anyone in the cast, it's a good bet they might.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For intense boxing violence and some language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • RUSSELL CROWE plays a Depression-era boxer who nearly achieves fame, loses it all, and then claws his way back into the ring and into the hearts of Americans as he vies for the championship, all in hopes of providing for his family that he desperately wants to support.
  • RENÉE ZELLWEGER plays his faithful wife and mother to their three children. She never sees any of his fights and instead nervously waits at home for him to return.
  • PAUL GIAMATTI plays Jim's manager who's forced to drop him when Johnston revokes Jim's boxing license, but gets him his return shot to the ring. He uses some profanity and smoke cigars.
  • CRAIG BIERKO plays the heavyweight champion of the world, a conceited, intimidating and dangerous boxer who tries to psyche out Jim before and during their match. He uses some profanity.
  • PADDY CONSIDINE plays a former broker and current daily worker who befriends Jim. He uses some profanity, drinks a lot, quarrels with his wife in public and tries to hit Jim while drunk.
  • BRUCE MCGILL plays a boxing promoter/official who revokes Jim's boxing license and only reluctantly grants it back to him during Jim's return to the sport. He smokes a cigar and uses some profanity.
  • CONNOR PRICE plays Jim's oldest son who steals a salami in the belief that having food will keep their family together.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 9 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some brief, sexually related dialogue is present, a married couple does some kissing (in one scene the wife is straddling the seated husband -- both are clothed) and a shirtless boxer is seen with several women dressed in bed-like attire.

    All sorts of hard-hitting and sometimes brutal boxing violence is present (shot in a "you're in the ring" fashion, while film footage shows a fatal boxing blow from a past bout). Some of that has bloody results. Some police beat a man in a park and we later see that he and others have been killed (noted by a mass burial).

    Some of that material may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes. Various characters smoke and/or drink, with one being rather intoxicated. Tense family material involves the death of a minor character's spouse, while a wife worries about her boxing husband, and both parents worry about keeping their family together during dire financial situations.

    Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

    For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from the flicker of a film projector in the movie.

    For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, some spin around camera shots and other such movement during boxing matches might have that effect on some viewers.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Jim and Mae have what looks like brandy.
  • A period song about the Depression has a lyric about "can't even get drunk."
  • Jim, Mike and others drink beer in a bar.
  • We see some miscellaneous drinking.
  • A person drinks from a flask.
  • Mike is drunk and is upset with his wife in public.
  • Joe sarcastically asks Jim if he's been drinking, but Jim says he hasn't.
  • Mike and others drink in a bar.
  • We see some miscellaneous drinking.
  • Max sends a bottle of champagne over to Jim, but the latter doesn't open it.
  • Miscellaneous people drink.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • We hear the sound of boys urinating outside.
  • Jim has some blood on the side of his face during a bout. We later see more blood (a trickle) down his face, while his opponent's nose is bloody at the end and we see some blood splatter onto the canvas when he falls to it.
  • We see some blood on a boxer's face.
  • We see more hard boxing violence, with Jim's opponent having a little blood on his face.
  • Some blood drips on the canvas during a bout. Both Jim and his opponent's heads are somewhat bloody.
  • Jim has some bruises on his face following a bout.
  • We see the motion of a person vomiting and hear the sounds, but don't see the actual act.
  • During the climatic bout, various parts of Jim's face are bloody (nose, ear, etc.) and he spits out some bloody water into the spit bucket between rounds. Max also has a little blood on his face.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Mae informs Jim that their son, Jay, stole a salami from the local deli (he later says he did so because he had heard some other kids had been sent away -- to live with others -- when their family didn't have enough to eat).
  • Various spectators heckle Jim in the ring.
  • Jimmy withholds Jim's bout purse since he thinks he didn't give it his all in the ring. He then revokes his license.
  • Mae and her kids break off some lattice work to use as firewood (thus vandalizing other property) since their electricity has been turned off and they need a heating source.
  • Mike is drunk and is upset with his wife in public. When Jim intervenes, Mike takes a swing at him but misses, followed by Jim pushing him back against a car.
  • Joe tells Jim to "knock him (his opponent) back to the G*ddamn Ozarks."
  • A person states that the title "Cinderella Man" is "kind of girlie."
  • Max has a bad and condescending attitude toward Jim, saying that people die in fairy tales all of the time (after Jim is noted as being a Cinderella story). He then tells Mae that she's too pretty to be a widow and that maybe he can comfort her afterwards.
  • Max says that he's going to knock Jim's "Mick balls up to the roof of your mouth" and then adds, "That ought to be a familiar taste" (meant as an aggressive taunt, but possibly sexually in nature).
  • During the fight, Max taunts Jim about his wife, such as asking if she says his name in her sleep.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, especially those with low tolerance levels for such material.
  • During the climatic bout, we worry that Max may kill Jim in the ring (as he's done to two previous opponents).
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "If you gave a sh*t about..." "Can't fight for sh*t," "I ain't gonna bullsh*t you," "You nasty little sh*t," "Horse sh*t," "Oh sh*t," "Are you going to punch him or pork him?" "Bum," "Whose ass you should kick," "What the hell /was that?" "Screw them," "G*ddamn right," "We're supposed to pucker our *ssholes over Abe Feldman? The guy can't even break wind," "A shot in the ass," "Shut up," "Where the hell's the purse?" "Screw FDR," "Bastard," "What in the hell do you have to be sorry about?" "Go to hell," "Let's get the lead out," "Sure as hell," "Where the hell you been?" "Knock him back to the G*ddamn Ozarks," "Jesus H. Christ," "Where the hell did that come from?" "That was one hell of a good-bye," "He should kiss your ass," "Open the damn door," "They ought to put your mouth in a circus," "Kicked your ass," "He's a chump," "Get the hell out of here," "It's a lot of crap," "Balls" (testicles), "It's kind of girlie" (about the title "Cinderella Man"), "Shut your G*ddamn mouth," "Punk," "Holy mackerel," "Mick balls up to the roof of your mouth - that ought to be a familiar taste" (about hitting Jim), "That's your job *sshole" and "Quit screwing around."
  • The boxing might be enticing for some kids to imitate.
  • Jim has a tattoo on his arm.
  • Jim has to eat some food before a fight with just his mouth since his hands are taped and he has no utensils.
  • Mae throws a drink in Max's face after he insults her and Jim.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A mild amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A period song about the Depression has a lyric about "can't even get drunk."
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 9 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("pork"), 17 hells, 10 asses (3 used with "hole"), 10 S.O.B.s, 4 craps, 2 damns, 13 uses of "G-damn," 4 each of "For Christ's sakes," "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ," 2 each of "Christ" and "Oh Jesus" and 1 use each of "God Almighty," "Oh Jesus Christ" and "Swear to God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Jim and Mae briefly do some passionate kissing, including some nuzzling on the neck.
  • Mae straddles Jim in a chair (both are clothed and outside) and does some mock boxing announcement. There's some brief, passionate kissing and he then carries her inside.
  • We see Max in his room, shirtless, along with several women in what look like nightgowns and other such attire.
  • We see some miscellaneous cleavage.
  • Max says that he's going to knock Jim's "Mick balls up to the roof of your mouth" and then adds, "That ought to be a familiar taste" (meant as an aggressive taunt, but possibly sexually in nature).
  • During the fight, Max taunts Jim about his wife, such as asking if she says his name in her sleep.
  • During a bout, a person asks, "Are you going to punch him or pork him?" with another replying, "That's your job *sshole."
  • SMOKING
  • Joe smokes cigars several times, Jimmy smokes one at least once, while a slew of minor and miscellaneous characters smoke cigarettes and cigars in many scenes during the film.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Jim and Mae worry about their sick son (and we then see Mae crying outside over that and their overall dire financial situation that puts stress on her and Jim).
  • Jim is upset when he learns that Mae sent their kids away to live with relatives (since they can't afford to feed or keep them in good health).
  • Jim is upset about breaking a promise to his son about never sending him away due to lack of food (and it was Mae who actually sent the boy and his siblings away).
  • Mike is drunk and is upset with his wife in public. When Jim intervenes, Mike takes a swing at him but misses, followed by Jim pushing him back against a car.
  • Mike's wife is upset after reporting that he's been missing for several days.
  • A woman grieves at her husband's funeral.
  • Mae is upset when Jim and the kids do some play boxing in the house (since she worries about Jim when he's boxing for real).
  • Mae worries a lot about Jim as his fight with Max approaches. When he goes off on fight day, it's almost like he's saying good-bye to his family forever (since there's the fear that Max might kill him in the ring).
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Boxing in the past and now.
  • The Great Depression and massive unemployment of the time.
  • Doing what one must to make a living and support one's family.
  • Mae informs Jim that their son, Jay, stole a salami from the local deli (he later says he did so because he had heard some other kids had been sent away -- to live with others -- when their family didn't have enough to eat).
  • We see various unemployed men begging for jobs.
  • Being so poor that your electricity is turned off.
  • Jim states, "I'm all prayed out" (regarding the family's misfortunes).
  • Jim's comment that if their family can't stay together then they've lost.
  • Jim begs (in a subdued fashion) for money from Joe, Jimmy and others so that he can pay the bills and get his kids back (from Mae's relatives with whom they're staying).
  • Joe's wife talks to Mae, saying that they have to wait on their husbands to fix things and that everyday they (the husbands) feel like they've failed their wives.
  • We see Jim paying back his "welfare" money to the government office that earlier gave it to him.
  • Jim's comment that he believes he has some sort of say over their lives.
  • VIOLENCE
  • We see standard boxing violence during a bout.
  • We see more standard boxing violence as Jim fights in the ring with a bad hand. During the bout, his opponent lowers his head and Jim punches him there, breaking his own hand.
  • Mae and her kids break off some lattice work to use as firewood (thus vandalizing other property) since their electricity has been turned off and they need a heating source.
  • Mike is drunk and is upset with his wife in public. When Jim intervenes, Mike takes a swing at him but misses, followed by Jim pushing him back against a car.
  • We see some intense and hard-hitting blows delivered during a boxing match where Jim is knocked to the canvas and has some blood on the side of his face. Later, Jim knocks his opponent to the canvas, bloodying his nose.
  • We see more hard boxing violence, with Jim's opponent having a little blood on his face. Many more brutal blows are delivered (one is represented by an x-ray shot of the side and ribs being hit), including a powerful punch to Jim.
  • Jim sees some cops beating one person in Central Park. We hear that some men were trampled and injured, and later see many caskets in one long grave.
  • We hear that Max has killed two men in the ring during sanctioned fights. Jimmy then shows Jim and Joe black and white film footage showing one such bout (we see the opponent go down hard and not move as people rush in to try to help him). We then see what's presumably an imagined view (on Jim's part) of that real bout and the fatal blow. We then hear that the death was from a "detached brain."
  • Mae throws a drink in Max's face after he insults her and Jim.
  • There's a great deal of intense/severe boxing violence during the bout between Jim and Max. During that, Max twice delivers blows below the belt, causing Jim a lot of pain. Much of the impact is designed to make the viewer "feel" the hard blows.



  • Reviewed May 4, 2005 / Posted June 3, 2005

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