Southpaw

Antoine Fuqua, along with Kurt Sutter, crafted the 2015 Sports Drama film Southpaw, depicting the life of Billy Hope (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) a boxing champion whose life gets decimated by a personal loss but manages to make a comeback. Champions often are ruthless in their approach toward their sport and Billy had made a name for himself as a boxer known for his aggressive approach combined with a strong will to win. However, while he was domineering inside the boxing ring, outside, he was sheltered by his partner Maureen (played by Rachel McAdams).

Billy’s new normal is disrupted when Maureen, a helpless victim of a brawl which took place on a charity function loses her life. Following that unfortunate event, Billy started spiraling down due to constant bouts of rage fueled by his financial struggles which in turn made him lose custody of his daughter Leila (Oona Laurence). In order to mend his relationship with Leila and amend the mistakes he has done in the past, he decides to seek assistance from Tick Wills (Forest Whitaker). Tick is an owner of a gym who trains socially ostracized children, combining the teaching with boxing in order to instinctively channel their emotions. While under Tick’s guidance, Billy learns to control his emotions, focusing them all to his Final match against Miguel “Magic” Escobar (Miguel Gomez), the man whom Billy holds indirectly responsible for Maureen’s death.

As I examined the film, I kept wanting to know the story of individual players in the film, therefore I made a true attempt to search for anyone who would be able to clear it up for me. A Youngstown soap opera played in my head while watching Southpaw. Everyone knew about Club – 4, the Brookyn-local establishment filled with shady characters, both boxer & non, and everyone knew that at the center was the brilliant boxer Billy Hope.

The Character:

Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal): After the death of his wife, thinks that he can have a better life with the unconditional love and support of his smack-talking daughter. As a boxer in the ring Billy is nothing short of ferocious, Billy approaches life with an emotional intensity. After having had his life torn to shreds Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of Billy Hope is ‘god-like’ encompassing all aspects of vulnerability and physical.

Themes and Analysis:

  1. Loss, love and morality:

There are two stark opposing ideas, one advocating for the importance of love while the other condemns love as pure weakness. A mere example of this could be racist and prejudiced views is every bit anti-western, to many people that sounds like love is a weak emotion.

  1. Fatherhood and Family:

The part of the plot that tugs at your heartstrings is the bond shared by Billy and Leila where it appears like Billy is trying his best to be a good father to her. Leila is able to influence him in such a way that he has something to strive for, just like how piercing through a father’s painful feeling reveals the love in a man.

  1. Anger and Control:

Billy’s fighting style is very much reflective of his character which is aggressive and unbalanced due to no strategy. However, Billy’s evolution is helping him face these triggers and now he is learning to how to control himself in and out of the ring and with the help of Tick, he is undergoing a character transformation from a careless fighter to a blunt one.

  1. Loss and Grief:

Coming to the triangle of grief and emotions of the film, we get to see the aftermath and impact of unfiltered grief on a person, right after Maureen died, we get to see a broken – Billy, whose life spiraled into chaos and instead of the rags to riches story, it’s the rage to nirvana story this time around.

Directing and Camera Work:

Southpaw, directed by Antoine Fuqua, renowned for his engaging character films (The Equalizer and Training Day), goes for a more raw approach. The boxing scenes had a very intense and visceral filming style. There are multiple close-up shots in the midst of fight scenes which tend to capture every punch, every drop of sweat, every bit of pain and all this makes the emotions and stakes higher in any fight.

Mauro Fiore portrayed the cinematic aspects in a more dark and muted tone in order to encapsulate the grief stricken world Billy was stuck in. However, the lighting improves when Billy’s life starts to get in better shape meaning Billy is starting to feel better emotionally and spiritually.

Soundtrack:

The soundtrack of the film delivered by James Horner elevates the emotions in Southpaw as it is both powerful and haunting. Music is added in essential moments of the movie like during Billy’s breakdowns or when he comes back to the ring. The movie also adds a song from Eminem called “Phenomenal” which adds hard hitting lyrics reflecting Billy’s Bahawali traits.

Reception:

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Many critics have showered a barrage of praise towards Jake Gyllenhaal’s immersive performance and for preparing for the role well enough to go through a physical transformation. To adequately convey the character of Billy, Gyllenhaal needed to work on his physique and boxing skills and spent weeks prepping for the movie. His performance depicting Loss and Rage gripped several members of the audience, helping going along with the character of Billy.

On the other hand, some reviewers believed that the movie overused tropes or cliches dependent on the sports movie genre, such as the ‘classic underdog hero’ arc. Regardless, the raw emotion of the movie combined with the astounding fight sequences and the brilliant performances given by the cast attached the audiences to the movie including Gyllenhaal and forest Whitaker.

Why It Stands Out:

To put it simply, Southpaw does a better job at portraying emotional depth of the characters through authentic performances combined with the excellent storyline. Conventional boxing films revolve around the sport rather than the consequences such sports can bring to an individual, Southpaw shines around love and family. The flaws and imperfections that Billy has are brought to light rather than the comfortable trope of burying them under his achievements, reinforcing his victories and comeback.

Conclusion:

Southpaw transcends typical sports films, as it thoroughly details the life a father who suffered through grief and loss and follows with heartwarming moments where he redeems himself. Billy’s journey touches one’s heart, and the immense authority exhibited by Jake Gyllenhaal helps aid the overall captivating sentiment associated with it. The story revolves around resilience and hope against the odds, which is encapsulated within all the key elements which included intense fight scenes along with emotional storytelling.

For those who admire emotional dramas, Southpaw packs quite the emotional punch, further encouraging the viewers never to forget that even the most challenging times always come to an end, and new agins are just around the corner.


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