The 2015 Boxing movie 'Southpaw'

[Don Pichardo]

Who has seen it? I haven't yet.

But isn't it another blow to Boxing by depicting the life of a White American Boxer (not eastern-european, German or British), even though I can't think of one since Kelly Pavlik, who was a anomaly himself, as most white fighters have been chased out of Boxing and gone to the MMA. We can give them a pass for "The Fighter" as they at least cherry picked a real boxer in Micky Ward, but a fictional one? This is like doing a remake of the Robocop and placing him right back in Detroit - where the bigger fiction is the premise that white people are still living there there rather then Robocop himself.

Are they doing this because they're out of touch or did they conclude that a black character wasn't gonna sell? How did the movie do at the theaters?At least Stallone is trying something different with the movie "Creed" featuring Apollo Creed's supposed son as a up and coming fighter.

Emenem is the executive producer. What do u expect. ***s his fake azz and his fake azz movie.

[Cyberspace]

Typical nsb, came to discuss boxing movie but thread already hi-jacked by racial issues.

[SlySlickSmooth]

I saw the trailers and thought "Why not just watch The Cinderella Man?"

At least Cinderella Man is based off James Braddock. Southpaw looks wack as ****.

[JmH Reborn]

I watched it last night...

The movie is engulfed with so many boxing tropes that the only thing that keeps it afloat is Jake Gyllenhall is absolutely fantastic and Forest Whitaker as well.

Jake was remarkable - you could tell he put his all. I didn't think he could ever eclipse how great he was last year in Nightcrawler, but man - he's clearly making a case for the most talented actor alive right now.

But overall, worrying about whites, blacks and latinos are for the birds - the actors and the casting is all that matters and Jake was an inspired choice. The issues with this movie again are the tropes

Shady promoter - check
rough upbringing - check
personal angst/tragedy - check
Trainer w/ uncanny wisdom - check
Riches to nothing and back again - check
slow-mo, emphatic punches - check
shady scorecards - check **real boxing fans will catch an error by the directors with respect for the third judge's score card**

Again, Jake Gyllenhall made this great - I hope he gets some love come award season

[JmH Reborn]

I agree. I'm watching it no matter what. But damn, someone should be fired if that fool fights orthodox for 2 hours in a movie titled "Southpaw" haha.

Or...

Watch the move before you criticize it?

There are two really lame sections, that ironically are with the HBO production...

So first is the big "bad" guy of the movie. An Ecuadorian fighter who's got power and skills.

Roy Jones comments how usually Ecuadorians are known for power, but no skill and that this guy is like "OMGZZZ good" and then he says, he reminds me a whole lot like his "compatriots" Sergio Martinez and Carlos Monzon...and I was like "whuh?!?!?"

Then, when the score cards are read...the third judge has it 116-112 - and it's literally a mathematical impossibility a glaring omission based on what occurred in the fight.

Lastly...Jimmy Lennon Jr was the ring announcer on a HBO PPV. lol

[frantic fighter]

I watched it last night...

The movie is engulfed with so many boxing tropes that the only thing that keeps it afloat is Jake Gyllenhall is absolutely fantastic and Forest Whitaker as well.

Jake was remarkable - you could tell he put his all. I didn't think he could ever eclipse how great he was last year in Nightcrawler, but man - he's clearly making a case for the most talented actor alive right now.

But overall, worrying about whites, blacks and latinos are for the birds - the actors and the casting is all that matters and Jake was an inspired choice. The issues with this movie again are the tropes

Shady promoter - check
rough upbringing - check
personal angst/tragedy - check
Trainer w/ uncanny wisdom - check
Riches to nothing and back again - check
slow-mo, emphatic punches - check
shady scorecards - check **real boxing fans will catch an error by the directors with respect for the third judge's score card**

Again, Jake Gyllenhall made this great - I hope he gets some love come award season

I don't think anybody is trying to dispute Jake's acting prowess,just a concept that doesn't exist in reality anymore.The white American boxer is very rare in the sport,yet receives vastly more cinematic representations than other races.Also I doubt he receives any legit Oscar consideration because most of the time it's hard to separate an actor's performance from the overall scheme of the film,but I agree that he is one of the best around today.

[boxingsupreme87]

Another thing to note after having just watched an interview with Victor Ortiz promoting the movie....

They actually turned down Victor at first because he was "too small". For some reason these guys that make boxing movies don't seem to realize that heavyweight boxing is pretty much dead, yet they always want to cast big dudes in these movies. The little "welterweights" are the "big" guys in boxing. That is the money/star making division.

To make a boxing movie you have to be a straight white male and be a heavy weight. Why?

[SlySlickSmooth]

Or...

Watch the move before you criticize it?

There are two really lame sections, that ironically are with the HBO production...

So first is the big "bad" guy of the movie. An Ecuadorian fighter who's got power and skills.

Roy Jones comments how usually Ecuadorians are known for power, but no skill and that this guy is like "OMGZZZ good" and then he says, he reminds me a whole lot like his "compatriots" Sergio Martinez and Carlos Monzon...and I was like "whuh?!?!?"

Then, when the score cards are read...the third judge has it 116-112 - and it's literally a mathematical impossibility a glaring omission based on what occurred in the fight.

Lastly...Jimmy Lennon Jr was the ring announcer on a HBO PPV. lol

They probably paid Whitaker and Gyllenhaal so much they couldn't afford Buffer to announce. His catchphrase is a trademark.

[JmH Reborn]

I don't think anybody is trying to dispute Jake's acting prowess,just a concept that doesn't exist in reality anymore.The white American boxer is very rare in the sport,yet receives vastly more cinematic representations than other races.Also I doubt he receives any legit Oscar consideration because most of the time it's hard to separate an actor's performance from the overall scheme of the film,but I agree that he is one of the best around today.

I think it's just silly overall to slam this movie because of a white actor. Boxing is rich in it that it has attracted fighters from all backgrounds.

Boxing is barely a black-american centric sport either - if we want to stay true to what rules American boxing these days, it's the latino market, except for Mayweather essentially being an anomaly.

I think what keeps race tensions so high is trying to integrate race arguments into these conversations. When I watch movies, I only care about the actors.

Johnny Storm is a white character, as was Annie, as was Nick Fury and so many more that are casted by Black actors - and guess what - who cares! WHy can't it be that they were chosen because they exhibited the best qualities the film makers were looking for?

Black folks, by most accounts aren't a huge representation of the baseball crowd - are we supposed to slam a hollywood movie if they make a movie featuring a black baseball player even though they are small minority of players, or hockey?

Or will I just enjoy the movie?

To your latter point - I hope the award masters look past some of the movie's silliest parts and recognize both Jake and Forest

Edit: Last note - this movie seemed to be a psuedo Eminem autobiography post attaining music celebrity and if you look at it from that prism, the casting choice makes sense

[frantic fighter]

I think it's just silly overall to slam this movie because of a white actor. Boxing is rich in it that it has attracted fighters from all backgrounds.

Boxing is barely a black-american centric sport either - if we want to stay true to what rules American boxing these days, it's the latino market, except for Mayweather essentially being an anomaly.

I think what keeps race tensions so high is trying to integrate race arguments into these conversations. When I watch movies, I only care about the actors.

Johnny Storm is a white character, as was Annie, as was Nick Fury and so many more that are casted by Black actors - and guess what - who cares! WHy can't it be that they were chosen because they exhibited the best qualities the film makers were looking for?

Black folks, by most accounts aren't a huge representation of the baseball crowd - are we supposed to slam a hollywood movie if they make a movie featuring a black baseball player even though they are small minority of players, or hockey?

Or will I just enjoy the movie?

To your latter point - I hope the award masters look past some of the movie's silliest parts and recognize both Jake and Forest

Edit: Last note - this movie seemed to be a psuedo Eminem autobiography post attaining music celebrity and if you look at it from that prism, the casting choice makes sense

Personally I always just try to enjoy the movie,I was just listing the bases behind the reasoning other posters opinions.Also their has been plenty of outrage about the casting of a black man to play the human torch,by hardcore comic fans.Last year Robert Duvall was nominated for his performance in the Judge film despite the overall film not being spectacular,so maybe Jake has a chance.