In boxing lore, there have been few comeback stories as inspirational as the precipitous fall and equally dramatic ascension of Depression-era fighter James J. Braddock. Appropriately dubbed the "Cinderella Man" by Damon Runyon, Braddock and his change of fortune provided a shred of hope for the hard-knock lives and times of his fellow working-class Americans. Reuniting with his "A Beautiful Mind" star, Ron Howard and Russell Crowe bring the Braddock story to vivid life in a superbly acted, beautifully shot, highly engaging drama that ranks as one of Howard's best efforts.

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