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2015's Southpaw is more or less an R-rated Rocky picture in a contemporary setting, but I do not use this designation to be flippant nor entirely critical. Even though the similarities to Rocky are indisputable, director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and writer Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy, The Shield) nevertheless create a solid sports drama on its own merits, buoyed by exceptional performances across the board and an appreciable sense of realism. Southpaw is the kind of drama that manages to be entertaining and affecting, and though it may not be a serious awards contender, it has more replay value than the usual Oscar bait.
Light heavyweight boxing champion Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is riding high, with a hugely impressive undefeated record after forty-three bouts and a vast fortune that allows him to live comfortably with his devoted wife, Maureen (Rachel McAdams), and young daughter, Leila (Oona Laurence). At a charity function, Billy's anger issues unfortunately get the better of him, with fellow fighter Miguel Escobar (Miguel Gomez) baiting him into a burst of violence, leading to a scuffle that accidentally puts Maureen in the line of fire. Billy is left utterly devastated, and his life begins to unravel, with suicidal tendencies and substance abuse exacerbating the situation, while his professional boxing license is suspended after he head-butts a referee. Worse, he runs out of money, loses his house, and child services take Leila away. Left with nothing, the volatile boxer seeks to rebuild his broken life, turning to veteran gym owner Tick Wills (Forest Whitaker) for his chance at redemption.
Scripted by Kurt Sutter, there is little doubt that Southpaw is a formulaic sports drama, taking its cues from the Rocky series, in particular. Indeed, Billy's fall from grace and Maureen's death bring back memories of Rocky III and IV, while the subplot involving Billy losing his fortune seems reminiscent of Rocky V. Worse, even though the picture runs a sizeable two hours, it does feel undercooked from a dramatic perspective; the police investigation into Maureen's killing leads nowhere, Tick's willingness to take on Billy needs more motivation, and the script abandons the punch-drunk aspect of Billy's boxing career that Maureen brings up early in the movie. Furthermore, the ending falls short - the film tries to avoid the most obvious outcome, instead opting for an alternative that is just as predictable and overused. But although Southpaw has its shortcomings, it miraculously manages to stay afloat thanks to the robust execution, with Sutter and Fuqua carving out compelling characters that are easy to latch onto.
Whereas the Rocky films are more family-friendly, Fuqua pulls no punches here, creating a visceral, distinctly adult boxing movie in terms of violence, content and themes. Even though Southpaw can be dour as it observes Billy's dark side, Fuqua displays appropriate tact, preventing the movie from deteriorating into an uncomfortable watch. Furthermore, Fuqua has continually shown a keen eye for action throughout his career (Tears of the Sun, Shooter, Olympus Has Fallen), and while this is not strictly an action flick, the boxing sequences genuinely are a sight to behold. Visceral and hard-hitting, not to mention proficiently shot by cinematographer Mauro Fiore (The Equalizer), whose shallow-focus camerawork captures every drop of blood and sweat, it is easy to become invested in the boxing bouts, and it is even easier to root for Billy to succeed in the ring. The late great James Horner (Titanic, Avatar) agreed to score the picture for no money because the story touched him, a decision that immensely helped the production as Fuqua had limited funds left in the budget for music. As expected, Horner's contributions are exceptional, with subtle, tender, emotive notes that gently enhance the movie's power. Even the Eminem songs featured on the soundtrack suit the film, a rare compliment. (Eminem was initially slated to play the lead role, but that thankfully did not pan out.)
Gyllenhaal's career has had its ups and downs, but Southpaw continues the performer's recent winning streak after his exceptional work in movies like End of Watch and Nightcrawler. This is career-best work for Gyllenhaal, who throws himself into the role of Billy Hope with total conviction; he trained for months to get in proper shape and believably handles the character's intricate layers. Indeed, the Donnie Darko actor is believable as a beefy, aggressive man of below-average intelligence and remains wholly convincing as Billy rehabilitates himself. There is not a single moment throughout the film during which Gyllenhaal displays any trace of artifice, as he unfailingly maintains the illusion. McAdams also leaves an indelible impression, while newcomer Oona Laurence is one of the most convincing child stars in recent memory. The movie's first act properly introduces Billy, Maureen and Leila, creating authentic characters and a believable familial unit, and the scene of Maureen taking a stray bullet is extremely powerful. Maureen's demise is utterly wrenching to watch, with tremendous performances and a harrowing sense of realism. Southpaw also benefits from the presence of Whitaker, a reliable thespian who breathes incredible life into the role of Tick Wills. Fuqua even manages to coax a watchable performance out of 50 Cent, a miraculous achievement in its own right.
Due to its narrative shortcomings, Southpaw falls just short of reaching the upper echelon of boxing dramas. However, it is a respectable effort worthy of recent Oscar-nominated movies like Million Dollar Baby and The Fighter. It is another winner for director Fuqua, who has established himself as a reliable purveyor of masculine entertainment.
8.0/10
