Billy Hope is a boxing world champion. He grew up happily married to Maureen and father to Leila. However, Billy has a bit of a temper which surfaces when rising boxer and challenger, Miguel Escobar, taunts him and his wife during a fundraiser. As a fight between them breaks out, Maureen is shot and killed. Billy hits a downward spiral that costs him everything, including his daughter. With nothing left, can he, with the help of Tick Willis, a boxing coach and gym owner, get his life back on track....?
Anyone having read the above, or having seen the trailer can probably guess where this film is heading and in truth there are no real surprises in this film at all. However, having said that, just because the story is not original that doesn't mean you can dismiss the film totally. Sometimes, it's not the tale being told, but the telling of the tale that can lift a film and such is the case here.
The film is written by Kurt Sutter, who has written for TV shows such as The Shield and Sons Of Anarchy. I've not seen either but have heard good things about both. Southpaw is his first films script and while the story isn't truly original, Sutter makes it work very well on screen, in part because the film doesn't always take the obvious route at certain moments. At one point, Billy meats a youth at the gym, and how that small plot moment might not add to the overall film, how that little moment is dealt with adds greater depths to both Billy and Tick.
The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua, who has made some good, at times brutal films and he does it again here. The boxing scenes here are among the best I've seen for some time. But what is perhaps surprising is the way he directs the scenes of Maureen and Billy and their daughter. So far in his film career, Fuqua has tended to ignore moments like that, instead to be more focused on the men and action. But here he shows a different side to his directing ability and it pays off very well indeed.
The cast are first rate. Rachel McAdams plays Maureen and is very good in the role, even if her screen time is relatively short. Forest Whitaker plays Tick and shows once more, giving a good role to play, how good an actor he can be. There are smaller roles for the likes of Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson as Billy's manager, Miguel Gomez as Escobar and Naomie Harris as Leila's social worker. All of them are good too.
But the film has two outstanding performances. Oona Laurence is stunning as Leila. The character goes through many different layers, happy daughter to begin with, then becoming full of anger and resentment at Billy when she has to stay in care after his downward spiral. It can't have been an easy part to play, but she does it very well indeed.
But the film belongs to Jake Gyllenhaal. The transformation he makes to get into the role of Billy is impressive indeed but it also helps bring out one of Gyllenhaal's best performances. He is incredible in the role and it would not surprise me if he were to be nominated come the awards season as he is that good.
But for all the praise I can lavish on this film, there are some flaws. During the death of Maureen scene, we find out who fired the gun that killed her. With the film building to the obvious boxing showdown, you would think more of the consequences of her death would play more into that, but they surprisingly don't. The fight scenes while very well done are, despite what some critics say are closer to, say a Rocky type film rather than to Raging Bull.
The late James Horner's score is more low-key than you might expect for a film like this, preferring to concentrate on the emotion the story brings out in the scenes with Billy and his family, rather than in the boxing fights.
And that to me is where the real secret of this film's success lies. It's being advertised as a boxing redemption type of story, and that is in there, no doubt about that. But the main thrust of the story is the relationship between Billy and Leila. If you don't believe in that part of the story, the film will not connect with you on any emotional level and that would just leave a more stereotyped film. Thankfully, thanks to great writing, directing and a great cast, the film does work on all levels, resulting in a terrific film.
Southpaw is one of the best sporting films released recently and one well worth watching.
Rating - 8/10
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