Southpaw
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Boxing clichés collide in Antoine Fuqua’s gritty drama Southpaw. Fortunately, Jake Gyllenhaal’s brawny shoulders are able to carry the heavy load. Reigning junior middleweight boxing champion Billy "The Great" Hope (Gyllenhaal) has everything going for him – fame, fortune, a lavish lifestyle, and the love of a devoted wife and daughter. But, after tragedy strikes, Billy loses it all and must claw his way back to the top with the help of local gym owner Tick Willis (Whitaker). Fuqua’s grim approach and heavy-handed storytelling make for a rather joyless affair and Southpaw is a familiar tale woven many times before, often with more creative flair.
However, the film’s paint by numbers execution is largely saved by Gyllenhaal’s grim determination and sheer physicality; when he steps into the ring and starts busting bodies, there is never any doubt he has transformed completely into the brooding boxer.
Rachel McAdams and Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson provide ample support, though their characters are largely two-dimensional. At least Whitaker, showing his acting fortitude and veteran wisdom, creates a compelling, albeit small, role.
Inevitably, Southpaw leads to a final, highly-touted boxing match between Billy and an archrival. The climactic fight is genuinely riveting; every blood-soaked blow to the head is visceral and it’s hard not to root for the hero to drop his adversary like a ton of bricks in spectacular fashion. Once things conclude, it’s clear the movie amounts to a rather hollow experience; yet, Gyllenhaal’s commitment to character, all evident on screen, is often mesmerizing.
