Cinderella Man

If you enjoy a good love story, you ought to check out the film Cinderella Man. No, it's not in major theaters right now. It's run its course there and is now, in cities, playing in the cheap theaters, where you can enjoy an old-fashioned tale of hard work, family bonds, and covenant love. The film stars Russell Crowe as a New York boxer desperately trying to support his family during the Great Depression. Crowe subtly underplays his role, radiating a sort of desperate strength, allowing Renee Zellweger, who plays his wife, to portray a furious will that seeks the survival of her little family. The film is about boxing, but it's really about the love between a husband and wife. Well, I guess beyond that it's a depiction of America in the Great Depression, fighting against all the odds to survive. I, however, am a sucker for a romance, and so I found the depiction of marital love quite moving.

The only major drawback to the film is the coarseness of the language. The Lord's name is taken in vain numerous times, sometimes with relish, and that's not a happy thing at all. It brought up questions for me as to what is appropriate for a Christian to view. My personal standard is that one must evaluate what one intakes according to how that intake will affect them, i.e., cause them to sin. Things that cause us to stumble must be carefully dealt with and avoided. But as to things like cursing, which I'm not much tempted to do, I'm not sure. I do know that I don't enjoy swearing. That said, it's tough to get a flick that really reflects Christian values. If you can do so, I would encourage you to check out Cinderella Man. In very few films has a love story been so well tucked in--who would have thought you'd find one in a film about men beating one another up?