50 Best Sports Movies Ever

32. Cinderella Man

Year: 2005
Sport: Boxing
Starring: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko, Paddy Considine
Director: Ron Howard

Russell Crowe has an uncanny ability to tap into a character’s inner-being and deliver a performance that does even the most unrealistic of expectations justice. In Cinderella Man, he put forth one of the greatest performances of his career as boxing legend James Braddock.

This is a film that is as much improbable and inspirational as it is gritty and tough, and that’s what boxing is all about.

Braddock isn’t a legend based on his career success, but more so his refusal to stay down. He defeated dominant puncher Max Baer to become heavyweight champion of the world at 30 years of age, which is more impressive than it sounds by today’s measures.

Braddock had been told that he needed to hang it up after his body continued to fail him and the losses progressively piled up.

Rather than conceding to what appeared to be the obvious signs of failure, Braddock fought back and overcame the odds to etch his name into the record books.

Crowe’s performance as Braddock earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and Paul Giamatti was up for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Joe Gould. Renée Zellweger gives a characteristically strong performance, as well, in this Ron Howard powerhouse.

Cinderella Man is the ultimate cinderella story as a down-on-his-luck fighter who travels from the brink of retirement to the life of a champion by the will of his undying need to succeed.

Next: 31. Rocky III