Rating of
3/4
A Clear Winner
Unknown - wrote on 07/27/15
'Southpaw' is a hard-hitting boxing film. The story is exactly what you'd expect; a previous world title holder tries to regain his former glory. But that's the absolute minimalist explanation. This is a heavily dramatic piece. The film's main objective is to beat down the main characters (and the audience). The downfall of our champ is quite literally from the highest point to the absolute lowest. It comes as the result of a series of character flaws leading to bad decisions, which are originally set into motion by an unforeseen tragedy. A strong emotional core is established during this process. Investment through these struggles came easy for me. Convincing characters, superb acting, and the up close and personal direction aided greatly. Having those qualities makes the final match worth excitement. It is well earned. Boxing genre done right!
