Cinderella Man
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Cinderella Man (2005) is based on a true story of an athlete that attained his greatest success despite encountering the most daunting odds. According to the movie, in 1920s James Broddock happened to be a promising contender in boxing; he had the spirit, strength and tenacity, but the combination of his defeat by Tommy Loughran in 1929 and serious hand injury sent his career to a tailspin. As Broddock’s career comes to a stand still the Great Depression worsened things and Broddock found himself working for pitiful in New York docks as the only means to support his wife Mae and their little children. This paper seeks to give a reflection of the movie in light of the most preferred character and what the director should have done differently to create a better impact of the movie
While conventional wisdom would have dictated that Broddock was out of shape and practice, and too old to have any chance of come back, his desperate plea with Gould his former trainer earned him a chance to face Baer at Madison Square Garden which marked his second come back. In a nation down beaten by the Great Depression Broddock’s comeback was like a tonic to the struggling workers and all eyes were on him as he took the heavyweight championship against Baer in what was his figurative and literary fight of his life.
The character Mae, Broddock’s wife is arguably the most preferred character in that she helps bring good to a sad love story. She is seen to be strong, opinionated yet a devoted wife in a time when most women would not have had a voice at all. What is most likable about Mae is that she was Broddock’s purpose to struggle as she and the kids were his motivation; what keeps him hanging on even in hard times. In as far as Mae was Broddock’s support system; she was also a woman with an unconventional sense of herself, as she was never afraid to say what was in her heart, even when whatever she had to say was what she knew her husband would not want to hear. For the whole time, the movie portrays her to be at the helm of her household; progressive and an interesting dynamic to explore.
The loving side of Mae is seen when Broddock is forced to give up boxing after his arm injury, in as far as this spelt burden to Mae as they were not going to have good income without his boxing career, it was a relief as she could not bring herslf to watch the violence of his husband’s chosen career. Broddock believing that despite his right hand injury, his left hand proficiency had improved his in-ring abilities, and against Mae’s advice takes Gould's offer to return to the ring. Mae was against Gould’s attempt to profit from her husband‘s dangerous profession, but to her relief Broddock defeated his opponent in a three-round knockout. The protective and loving nature of Mae is seen when the arrogant Baer intimidates her in public that her husband may not survive, upon hearing this, she is angered and throws a drink at the Baer (Cinderella Man, 2005). She even could not attend the fight at Madison Square Garden or listen to it on the radio as she was afraid that her husband might die since Baer was a vicious and a terrible champ who had been reported to have killed two people in the ring.
Ron Howard, the director of Cinderella Man (2005) dwelt so much on the depressing part of the movie hence delivering a movie that is arguably worth not watching despite the fact that he was at the top of his game. Though the movie came to a conclusion with a happy ending, the director should have at least reduced the depression felt in the movies by incorporating happy moments. For boxer Broddock his pro career was beginning to make noise, and in 1928, his wife and the three children lived in a nice comfortable modern home. Broddock and Mae had big dreams. Gould, Broddock’s manager saw a clear path to incredible wealth and fame for all of them, this should have been the direction of the movie, but the director chose to take it in the opposite direction. Beginning from 1929, the nice house was gone, the promising career vanished like a smoke and Broddock falls to hauling cargo at the local dock.
To make things worse the director takes the viewers to the most depressing part when it is evident that a even a good day’s pay at the dock was not enough to feed the family and keep up with bills. Given that Broddock was too proud to take federal government relief and to beg from friends, he came to discover that pride was nothing to get fussy about when things get nasty. Given that the American economy was experiencing a depression of all times, the director should have used this chance to shade some happy moments in these hard time. The route chosen by the director was too predictive and far beyond any attempt to make the story gripping.

Reference
Cinderella Man (2005). [DVD] United States of America: Ron Howard