Freakin' Oscar contenders

Goodbye glass slippers, hello Everlast workout trunks! When first seeing the trailer for Cinderella Man, a good friend said, "It seems like Russell Crowe is in every 'period film' that's been made in the past ten years." With his portrayal of Depression-era boxing champ James J. Braddock in this latest film, he continues in his role as "Mr. Period Film Actor Extraordinaire." After Gladiator, Master and Commander, A Beautiful Mind, The Insider, L.A. Confidential, and Prisoners of the Sun, we've seen Crowe in just about every decade from the year 300 A.D. on. Under the direction of Ron Howard, Cinderella Man successfully depicts the life of a prizefighter who stood close to the top, fell to ruin and comes back to the action. Howard chooses to focus not only on the athletic prowess of Crowe's character, but also his role as a loving father and devoted husband who must provide for his wife (Ren‚e Zellweger) and three young children after the 1929 stock market crash kills the family's seemingly safe investments. There is no doubt that this is a sad and scary film. From the gruesome boxing matches to the depravity of 1930's New York and its inhabitants, sensitive viewers may be brought to tears on no less than a half dozen occasions. Although the Rocky series will always maintain its status as the quintessential cinematic boxing phenomenon, and Ali made a nice attempt at the "boxing biopic" genre a few years ago, Cinderella Man will surely be one of this summer's "must-see" films because of its appeal to all generations. Take grandma and grandpa to the movies or go with your little sister, because Russell Crowe's portrayal of James Braddock will surely put him in the running for next year's Oscar race.