Raging Bull - Review

"If you win, you win. If you lose, you still win. There's no way you can lose" – A review of Raging Bull. 

I wasn't convinced I was going to enjoy Raging Bull. I'm not really a fan of boxing – I find myself watching through my fingers. Horror stories of boxing matches gone wrong truly haunted me when a friend of mine started boxing, and every week I'd wait with bated breath for him to confirm he was safe after a session. I can confirm I've chilled out a lot now, but I can't say I'm a fan of the sport – yet that isn't really what this film is about. Released in 1980 and directed by Martin Scorsese, this isn't a simple boxing film but rather a fascinating character study of a man who turns his own self-loathing, fear and jealousy into violence, and whilst not always an easy watch, it is certainly powerful.

Raging Bull follows Jake LaMotta from his rise as a middleweight boxer to the drama and downfalls in his personal life. Jake is talented, tough and relentless in the ring, but it's that very same aggression that's proving to be problematic in his personal life. It soon becomes clear that the enemy isn't another boxer – it's LaMotta himself, his anger and aggression proving to be self-destructive, and the impact of his actions are shown throughout his life.

The film explores the ideas of masculinity, control and jealousy, as well as punishment. Jale seems to need pain – whether he's giving or receiving it – as if suffering is the only way he can feel honest. Much of his life is a performance, whether it's his idea of masculinity in his personal life or the performance of being in the ring, and the theme of authenticity, and the consequences of living an inauthentic life, are explored at length.

Jake LaMotta is played by Robert De Niro, who provides an incredible performance. He comes across as cruel, childish, insecure, and completely miserable, with no attempt to make the character charming in any way whatsoever. This is such a total performance; Robert De Niro portrays the physical, emotional and psychological state of the character perfectly, making him impossible to look away from.

Jake's younger brother, Joey, is played by Joe Pesci, whose portrayal is warm but also frustrated and volatile – he clearly understands his brother but you feel his frustration at being completely unable to help him. Cathy Moriarty is an excellent Vickie, Jake's second wife, young, beautiful and the object of much of Jake's abusive behaviour. She's controlled and watchful, her performance proving to be understated yet powerful.

I truly love the look of this film. It's shot in black and white, making it feel authentic and realistic, as well as making it stand out from other boxing films released around the same time. The actual boxing scenes are full of sweat, smoke and slow-motion shots, making the fights feel especially brutal, whilst shots outside of the ring have a slightly claustrophobic, tight feel to them, reflecting Jake's frame of mind.

The sound design is clever too – the sounds of cameras flashing, crowd reactions and slightly animalistic noises help to make the ring feel like a place inside of Jake's head rather than a real place for sports people. This helps to push one of the main themes of the film – this is a story of a mind which is at war with itself.

This isn't an easy watch, but it is a brilliant one. Raw, violent, perfectly cast and fearless, this isn't a feel-good boxing story of determination but an examination of ego, shame, violence and collapse, making it a difficult yet deeply compelling watch which I would highly recommend.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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