Revancha

Beastly acting. emotionally powerful and very moving. and an awesome job of making you feel what he is feeling. A unique and intriguing character brought to life by the phenomenal acting of Jake Gyllenhaal who has become one of the best. forest Whitaker, Rachel mcAdams and the kid were great too. 50 cent shouldn't have been in the movie tho (2 viewings)

Southpaw is a drama/sports film directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Jake Gyllenhaal. Although clichéd, the way the story of this film is told is what makes it great. The acting was great throughout the film especially by Gyllenhaal and ,surprisingly, Oona Laurence was fantastic. The film was well directed. Especially the boxing scenes themselves were shot very well and did a good job of really putting you in the shoes of the fighters. The dramatic scenes were done very well but we're very dark and depressing. This is not a light hearted film by any means. It deals with very sad subjects and is very gritty. On the negative side of things there is not much to say. It was well paced, well directed, and very well acted by everyone. It earns a solid 8/10.

Billy Hope is the light heavyweight champion of the world with a 43-0 record. One day, as a result of his uncontrollable violent temper, tragedy after tragedy hits him and his family until he is left with nothing -- not his fortune, not his career, not his family. Despondent and desperate to get his life back, Billy swallows his pride and seeks the assistance of trainer Tick Wills to train him back to fighting form.

"Southpaw" is an acting showcase for its lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Last year in the film "Nightcrawler", Gyllenhaal gave us all the creeps with his very realistic portrayal of sociopathic pseudo-video journalist Louis Bloom. He was overlooked at the Oscars of the Best Actor nomination he clearly deserved. With this meaty role, Gyllenhaal set out to prove that that his transformative performance last year was not a fluke at all.

His performance here as Billy Hope is another triumph of his very serious and committed method acting style. Here, Gyllenhaal again undergoes a total physical transformation into a grizzled prizefighter with a buff hardened physique, scarred face and swollen eye. We feel every ache of his weary body as he shuffles in his gait. His speech is already slurred with probable nerve damage. We see and sense the ravages of his vicious sport on him.

He captured the character of an impulsive man who was not too savvy in life, and easily driven to violently angry tendencies. As Billy's world collapses around him, Gyllenhaal brings us all down to his hell with him. We totally see the unraveling of a man until a mere shadow of him remained. Then we would witness how he humbles himself as he tries to bring the shattered pieces of his life back together again. This was in addition to all the pounding he had in the boxing ring itself. This was truly an acting tour de force by Gyllenhaal which simply cannot be ignored.

The actors in supporting roles all share in Gyllenhaal's shine. Despite her name being so prominent in the poster, Rachel McAdams appeared on screen only for a very short time. In that limited time, we clearly see the effect of her strong character Maureen on her husband Billy. Bespectacled little Oona Laurence plays their spirited daughter Leila. Gyllenhaal and Laurence share some pretty intensely emotional scenes together.

Forest Whitaker plays Tick Wills, the tough disciplinarian of a trainer whom Billy chose to bring him back on track. I thought it was clever how they even include Whitaker's left eye into the story. Curtis "50 Cent" Smith plays Billy's fair-weather manager Jordan Mains. He really has this sleazy vibe about him with his flashy smile and shiny suits.

Director Antoine Fuqua effectively wrung all the right emotions out of this story. The storytelling is well-paced and the camera work is compelling. The fight scenes were well-choreographed and executed on screen -- very brutal, bloody, all with high tension. The first person point of view during the fights puts you right in the midst of all the action.

The musical score contributes so much to the drama of this film. This is also the last film James Horner scored before his untimely demise in a plane crash recently. We also hear Eminem rap in the soundtrack. It is interesting to note that Eminem was actually the original choice to play Billy Hope.

Boxing is a common sport tackled in movies because of its inherent drama. "Rocky", "Raging Bull", "Million Dollar Baby" and "The Fighter" easily come to mind as among the best of them ever made. This is why we may feel we have seen this story In "Southpaw" told in another way before. However, the grippingly honest acting of Jake Gyllenhaal definitely set this film apart from others. He made "Southpaw" a most extraordinary boxing film to watch. 8/10.

Wow. This is actually an incredible movie in which Gyllenhaal delivers an Oscar worthy performance.

It's kind of an emotional rollercoaster which gives you the best of the two different worlds in boxing and drama. A comeback story at its finest. The father-daughter relationship gets me the most.

I've seen this movie more times than I can count and it still amazes me that Jake Gyllenhaal didn't even got nominated for this one - he is outstanding!

The heartbreaking tale of a professional boxer struggling to balance riches and fame with compassion and love. Though, a drive inside, powers a determined outlook to achieve a mighty comeback.

Boxer Billy Hope hits rock-bottom after losing his family and falls into depression. His encounter with a former boxer gives him hope to stand up once again.

'Southpaw' strives to capture the highest highs as well as the lowest lows of life. Jake Gyllenhaal shines in his lead role, encapsulating all the emotions from desperation and frustration, to pure joy and elation. The sports film ensures a level of authenticity is maintained throughout, though it is the scenes portrayed outside the ring that are arguably most potent.

Antoine Fuqua very much mirrors the pace and intensity of a boxing match. One criticism of the spectacle is that it never comes up for breath, it's constant throughout, making for an extreme 120 minutes. The changing of events are too sudden, while the lack of light-heartedness means a lack of tonic for the heavy thriller.

Performances across the board are sensational. Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams are standout, with Forest Whittaker's supporting role providing the perfect blend of personalities for the drama unfolding on-screen.

A true rollercoaster of emotions that conveys what is truly important - family and love. Highlighting traits of determination, belief and resilience as the core of not only sport, but life itself.

For many, the film may seem exaggerated and extreme. However, its good intentions and detail of writing and illustrating the sporting world, makes 'Southpaw' enjoyable viewing.