Now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download is the film Southpaw.
Southpaw stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker and 50 Cent.
Southpaw is the story of a boxer, Billy Hope (Gyllenhaal). He’s married to Maureen (McAdams) and together they have a young daughter, Leila.
Billy was a great boxer, but he’s getting older now and doing a lot of damage to his body. Maureen convinces him to retire so he can spend time with what is most precious to them – their daughter. Maureen and Lelia mean the world to him. Billy did not have a great childhood. He was grew up in the system. That is why having his own family means everything to him.
One night at a charity event an up and coming boxer, Miguel “Magic” Escobar, taunts Billy and a fight breaks out. A gun shot is heard and Miguel’s brother flees the scene. The bullet that was shot hit Maureen and she is killed.
The loss of his beloved wife send Billy in a tailspin. He becomes very depressed and abuses drugs and alcohol. He is also hell bent on finding Hector and making him pay for killing his wife.
Billy’s bad behavior becomes a concern for Child Protective Services. They feel it would be better for Lelia not to be around Billy anymore. At this point Lelia is also fed up with her father’s behavior and blames him for their situation.
Billy cannot lose his daughter. She’s all he has. Having her taken away by CPS was the “wake up call” he needed to try and put his life back together.
Billy gets a job at a boxing ring. He also uses this time to get back into boxing and asks the ring’s owner, Tick (Forest Whitaker) to train him. Tick is reluctant.
Billy’s former manager, Jordan Main (50 Cent), wants to put Billy up against Miguel, the brother of the man who shot and killed his wife.
Will Billy take the challenge and face off against the man whose brother shot and killed his wife? Will Billy step away from the fight and continue to try and put his life back together? What about Lelia? Will Billy ever be able to win back the love and respect of his daughter? To find out you need to pick up a copy of Southpaw, available where movies are sold.
I will admit that I think Jake Gyllenhaal is major “eye candy.” I’ll watch any movie he’s in. Not only is he nice to look at but he also puts his heart and soul into his characters. He proved that big time with his role of Billy Hope. Not only did he physically transform himself into a boxer with chiseled abs and bulging muscles, he really played the role very well. I don’t know of any actor who could have done a better job.
I’m not a big fan of violence on film. I tend to close my eyes and not watch. That includes boxing. I find the sport brutal. A lot of the fighting scenes I closed my eyes for. It makes me feel uncomfortable to watch it. Since this is a film that is all about boxing, there were a lot of fight scenes.
Despite the violence, the film did have a lot of heart. You felt for Billy after his lost his wife, and you rooted for him to win back the love and respect from his daughter.
I can see why people are saying Jake could be up for another Oscar with this role. He did an incredible job and I’m curious to see if he is nominated.
The film is rated R and has a run time of 123 minutes.
There are plenty of bonus features worth checking out including deleted scenes, Q&A with the cast, Extended Training Montague and the featurette, Southpaw – Inside the Ring which gives you a great glimpse into the making of this film.
Did you see the film? If so, what did you think about it? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Here is a trailer for the film for your enjoyment. This is the theatrical trailer. The film is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.