Southpaw- Movie Review

Rating: A-

This weekend, I had the chance to see Southpaw. After paying an all time low of EIGHT DOLLARS, (special thanks to the folks that don't destroy your wallet to see and enjoy a film), I walked out of this theater absolutely blown away. Despite a slew of negative reviews, I walked out of the theater knowing Southpaw was one of the best movies I'd seen this year. And I've seen a lot. Seriously, it's getting unhealthy.

Jake Gyllenhaal is conquering Hollywood. I fell in love with this guy after seeing the 2007 thriller, The Zodiac. This man has perfected the art of acting. I'm convinced he can portray any character. Being this is his follow up performance after the HIGHLY underrated Nightcrawler, I'm thrilled Gyllenhaal has proven himself yet again. His portrayal of Billy "The Great" Hope is emotionally impactful. The intensity he brings is just remarkable. I actually believed he was a professional boxer. His onscreen performance sticks with you. You feel for this character and root for him to succeed the entire film. He is easily the best part of this film.

Another notable performance comes from Forest Whitaker. I totally bought him as a former boxer turned amateur trainer. He portrayed a tortured soul and really had a special performance. He and Gyllenhaal had a lot of awesome back and forth dialogue. The father/son type relationship truly formed and it felt awesome. I also slightly enjoyed 50 Cent's character. He made the movie feel even more real due to his cowardly actions. 

The way this film was shot was incredible. The fight scenes were actually shot by HBO fight-night crews. I was super into the boxing scenes. They were remarkable. They looked so real and were super authentic. I have to tip my cap to director Antoine Fuqua because these are the best looking fight scenes in any boxing movie ever. Southpaw was a gritty and darkly shot film. It always felt bleak and hopeless. I really appreciated that technique and it added a lot to the film. 

Now, I do have some complaints. I have no idea why Rita Ora was advertised for this film. She's in a scene. Yet, she's advertised over Forest Whitaker. I didn't know a singer was a bigger draw than an Oscar winning actor. Also, the trailer for this film gave away so much. I would've enjoyed this film so much more if I hadn't seen the trailer. The trailer, if you haven't seen it, spoils major plot points and really doesn't do the film justice. Yet, I loved Southpaw. It has definite re-watch value and it will stick with me for years to come.