"Cinderella Man" deserves to be placed alongside other great biographical films dealing with the lives and times of great boxers. Such films include "Raging Bull," "The Joe Louis Story," "Ali," "The Hurricane," and "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story."

These films share in common not just a documentary-like approach to boxing or a superficial biopic. They also portray the human side of a modern gladiator and the culture that produced him. In the case of "Cinderella Man," we are given a detailed and heart-rending portrait of the Great Depression in American. The story of the gentleman pugilist James J. Braddock is the backdrop to the larger drama of Americans' struggle in the 1930s.

Russell Crowe provides a brilliant interpretation of Braddock, capturing the decency of a man whose career as a boxer would appear to have peaked at just the wrong time prior to the Crash of 1929. After that momentous event, Braddock's boxing went into decline just like the lives of millions of Americans. The scenes of Braddock and his family living in squalid conditions and with uncertainty about such basics as heat and electricity were carefully developed in the film. Renée Zellweger was outstanding as Mae, the caring but feisty wife of Braddock. Paul Giamatti was also excellent as Braddock's handler-manager, Joe Gould. Joe tries to keep up appearances by sporting fancy clothes. But in one revealing scene in the film when we see the interior of Joe's ostensibly swanky apartment, there is no fancy furniture other than a dowdy table and some flimsy deck chairs. Everyone is reeling from the Depression. In the depiction of the massive unemployment, the "Hoovervilles" of the homeless residing in Central Park, and the desperate need for Americans for an optimistic icon like Braddock to raise their spirits, the film truly captured the tragedy of the Great American Depression.

The film's director Ron Howard emphasized close-ups throughout the film with uneven results. In many of the boxing sequences, the close-ups and rapid editing made it difficult tell the fighters apart. The close-ups continued even into the domestic scenes and the outdoor sequences depicting Braddock working as a longshoreman. The film's dark cinematography conveyed the bleakness of the Depression years, but it worked against bringing out the buoyant spirit of Braddock himself and the optimism that he instilled in others. As a director, Howard's strength is not in film artistry or technique. As apparent in this and other films, his gift lies in narrative storytelling and the development of dramatic character.

Indeed, the characters and the story were the strong points of "Cinderella Man." Much credit should go to Cliff Hollingsworth for a screenplay that included thoughtful dialogue, humor, and multi-dimensional characters. Daniel Orlandi also merits praise for the brilliant costumes that helped to recreate the period of the early 1930s.

But the heart of this film experience is Russell Crowe's screen portrayal of Braddock. It was the colorful sportswriter and raconteur Damon Runyan who coined the nickname of "Cinderella Man" for Braddock. However, the real James J. Braddock was more than lucky. It was his strength of character in and out of the ring that captivated America. One of the most moving scenes of the film was a heated argument between Braddock and his wife Mae where Braddock insists that even in the most difficult of times, he would refuse to be separated from his children. As a boxer, he was fearless. But he demonstrated even more courage in fighting for family values—a lesson from which we can learn a great deal today in reflecting on this sensitive film.

Though Cinderella Man got great critical notices it did not do well at the box office which is a shame for those who missed a great sports story and Russell Crowe's performance as James J. Braddock.

Between the time Gene Tunney retired in 1928 and Joe Louis ascended to boxing's heavyweight championship, there were a succession of champions who were not among the greatest, but who in and of themselves had some interesting stories. In order they were, Max Schmeling, Jack Sharkey, Primo Carnera, Max Baer and finally the working class champion James J. Braddock. Most of these guys fought each other and Joe Louis in fact on his way up the ladder fought and licked all of them except most notoriously Schmeling.

Jim Braddock was a promising light heavyweight in the late twenties who got a title shot against champion Tommy Loughran and lost. As is the usual pattern of things, Braddock went gradually downhill and at the same time injured his right hand. This was the Great Depression and Braddock took work on the docks as a longshoreman to support his wife and family.

Ron Howard did a fine job in recreating the era of Braddock and got a great performance out of Russell Crowe as the man. What Crowe gives you as Braddock is the real deal. Crowe nearly won an Oscar on the strength of a very touching scene with one of his children who he caught stealing a loaf of bread. Economics were bad, but Braddock's values stood the test.

I suppose it was a matter of necessity, every heroic story has to have a villain and poor Max Baer's reputation suffers as a result of it. Craig Bierko is fine as Max Baer, but he did not give you the real Max at all. Baer was a savage puncher and in fact was responsible for the death of two men in the ring. Ron Howard shows him as a man with no regrets about that. In fact Baer was deeply affected by the deaths and held his punches on many occasions because of it.

Baer was however a party animal who loved a good time above all. That was his undoing in his real career and in the film.

Viewers will also like Paul Giamatti as Braddock's shrewd and loyal manager Joe Gould. Giamatti's performance might seem a caricature yet boxing manager were and are very much like Joe Gould, at least the best of them.

As a personal story and a sports story Cinderella Man rates as one of the best films so far in this new millenia of our's. I wouldn't miss it when it's broadcast. Too bad that so many folks did miss it on the big screen.

James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe) was a successful up and coming fighter. By 1933, he is broken down and like the rest of the world impoverished. He can't pay his bills. His family is suffering. He struggles on with smaller fights, nagging injuries, and little work. Then they revoke his license to fight. He hits bottom. His kids are sent away. He goes on public assistance and ends up begging for money. His long time trainer Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) gets a short notice fight with the number 2 heavyweight contender but he surprised everybody by winning.

The one word for the Braddock character is dignity. He never lost his even as he hit rock bottom. It's a very compelling character, and Russell Crowe plays it perfectly. Both Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti are terrific in this. The fight action is well done and exciting. The best part of the movie is probably when the family is down to nothing. It's a superb movie from a great director with a compelling story.