Catholic Blog Review: The Cinderella Man

Title of Work: The Cinderella Man
Online Information: http://www.imdb.com 
MPAA: Rated PG-13
Written by: CM

The Cinderella Man:  On Christian Love and Suffering

“I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them,” says Russell Crow who plays boxer Jim Braddock in the motion picture “Cinderella Man.”  Yes, this movie is about fighting but not just “gut jabs” and “upper cuts.”  One also sees a spiritual battle against the overwhelming hardships of the human condition.  More so, the viewer gets the sense that such obstacles can be overcome.  The movie is set in the American depression era where the working-class man ekes out his existence by selling everything he has or hiring himself out at the New Jersey docks.  Amidst this troubled setting Jim Braddock and his family remain steadfast in faith and love.

Time and time again in this movie we see the Braddock family situation grow worse.  Jim loses his fighting license and breaks his hand preventing him from working at the docks.  Their bills become past due and they are barely able to keep food on the table.  One scene shows Jim Braddock lovingly sacrifice his meager portion of ham to his young daughter.  Later on we see Jim’s oldest son stealing from a butcher shop in attempt to provide for the family.  Though the family truly needed it, Jim accompanies his son to return the stolen goods.  In each situation the viewer asks himself the age-old question:  “Why do the just suffer?”  However, the perseverance of the Braddock family eventually pays off when Jim gets another chance in the ring.

The true test of fidelity and love is played out in the conflict between Jim and his wife Mae (Rene Zellweger).  Through the rest of the movie Jim fights his way all the way to the top where he sets himself up against one of the deadliest fighters in the world of boxing. His success incites a sense of hope and inspiration amongst his fellow workingmen.  Though his boxing has brought success, his wife Mae is more concerned about the life of her husband.  Several times Mae urges Jim not to take the fight dismissing it as a male “prove something to the world” complex.   As a result, Jim becomes torn between the concerns of his wife and his feeling the need to go through with the fight.  The conflict is finally resolved when Mae goes to the Church to pray and sees the entire community already at prayer.  In seeing this she realizes what an important symbol of hope her husband has become to the less fortunate.

In the scene right before the final fight the viewer sees Mae visiting Jim in the locker room.  She expresses solidarity with Jim giving him the confidence to enter the fight.  She says:  “Maybe I understand, some, about having to fight. So you just remember who you are . . . you are the champion of my heart, James J. Braddock.”  Up to this point Mae had never watched a fight because as she says earlier in the movie:  “Every time you get hit, feels like I'm getting' hit too.”  The viewer gets the sense that Mae and Jim are truly united in their love for one another and that Jim could never have won the fight alone.

In the movie, “Cinderella Man” the family both fights together in the world and in the ring to bring a sense of hope to those who were lacking.  Such themes speak to today’s Catholic Christian as we seek to live out our faith in the world.  Though things in the world seem bad and evil we still are obliged to renew it in Christ.  More so, we have to believe that we can change it, that is to say we have to have hope.

posted by: crossman at 13:54 | link | comments |
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