Southpaw
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Year Released: 2015
Rating: 1.0
Unorthodox boxer Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) has his life completely fall apart after his wife (Rachel McAdams) is killed in an altercation with a rival fighter: he turns to drugs and alcohol, loses his home and daughter (Oona Laurence) and has to fix his boxing style with the help of older trainer Tick Wills (Forest Whitaker). It has heart - lifted by Gyllenhaal's dedication and resolve - but it's also overbearing and pedestrian in its approach: Fuqua allows no room for nuance. Also left to be desired: the dialogue ("baby, baby, baby") and common sense (how does Hope manage to change his boxing technique in such a short period of time?). From the I-Can't-Believe-I'm-Typing-This Department: real-life entrepreneur (and vodka peddler) 50 Cent is decent as shady fight promoter Jordan Mains.
