Southpaw
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Billy "The Great" Hope, the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, has an impressive career, a loving wife and daughter, and a lavish lifestyle. However, when tragedy strikes, Billy hits rock bottom, losing his family, his house and his manager. He soon finds an unlikely savior in Tick Willis, a former fighter who trains the city's toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to reclaim the trust of those he loves the most.
What critics thought
Critics were split roughly down the middle on Southpaw, agreeing almost universally that Gyllenhaal throws himself into the role with impressive physical and emotional commitment, but disagreeing sharply on whether that performance can carry a script they largely found formulaic and melodramatic. The audience, by contrast, embraced it warmly — a notable gap from the critical response.
“What keeps this cornball business from getting out of hand is the commitment of Gyllenhaal, whose performance is fierce and muscular, in and out of the ring.”
Steven Rea·The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Just as director Antoine Fuqua starts to close in on something interesting and unexpected, he retreats to the safety of his corner and gives us what we've seen too many times before: a predictable flurry of melodramatic jabs.”
Chris Nashawaty·Entertainment Weekly
“Southpaw may be rote, predictable and mawkish, but none of those faults lie in its star. Even when he looks like an unholy mess, he transcends the movie he's in.”
Ann Hornaday·The Washington Post
“The script may have hamburger for brains, but Fuqua slams it home with the help of actors who give their all – even when giving a little less might have made things more interesting.”
Chicago Tribune
Genres
Action, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorAntoine Fuqua
StarringJake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, Oona Laurence, 50 Cent
ComposerJames Horner
Southpaw
Billy "The Great" Hope, the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, has an impressive career, a loving wife and daughter, and a lavish lifestyle. However, when tragedy strikes, Billy hits rock bottom, losing his family, his house and his manager. He soon finds an unlikely savior in Tick Willis, a former fighter who trains the city's toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to reclaim the trust of those he loves the most.
What critics thought
Critics were split roughly down the middle on Southpaw, agreeing almost universally that Gyllenhaal throws himself into the role with impressive physical and emotional commitment, but disagreeing sharply on whether that performance can carry a script they largely found formulaic and melodramatic. The audience, by contrast, embraced it warmly — a notable gap from the critical response.
“What keeps this cornball business from getting out of hand is the commitment of Gyllenhaal, whose performance is fierce and muscular, in and out of the ring.”
Steven Rea·The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Just as director Antoine Fuqua starts to close in on something interesting and unexpected, he retreats to the safety of his corner and gives us what we've seen too many times before: a predictable flurry of melodramatic jabs.”
Chris Nashawaty·Entertainment Weekly
“Southpaw may be rote, predictable and mawkish, but none of those faults lie in its star. Even when he looks like an unholy mess, he transcends the movie he's in.”
Ann Hornaday·The Washington Post
“The script may have hamburger for brains, but Fuqua slams it home with the help of actors who give their all – even when giving a little less might have made things more interesting.”
Chicago Tribune
Genres
Action, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorAntoine Fuqua
StarringJake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, Oona Laurence, 50 Cent
ComposerJames Horner
Rent/Purchase