Jake Gyllenhaal joins the ranks with Southpaw, but the films script feels like a compendium of every boxing-movie clich© you can possibly think of. Director Antoine Fuqua shoots the boxing scenes in long takes and gives us full body shots that look painfully real. What a shame that its all in service of a plot thats utterly predictable from start to finish. Melodramatic and manipulative, this is no Raging Bull. Im going with two-and-a-half out of five

Gyllenhaal too is curiously disappointing, more caught up in his own character, with its tattoos, its constantly puffed eye.We know where that is headed, but even then Billy gets a black kid called Hoppy (pronounced Hope-y) of own to chaperon. In the end, there is the fight €” of course.If you must, shed a tear or two for Gyllenhaals left eye. Its doubtful he can €” seldom has a body organ been put through more abuse.

And this wouldn’t be a review of a boxing picture without a few cliches of its own. I wish I could say Southpaw was a knockout, or even a contender, that it went the distance or scored on points. But it’s strictly an undercard bout, displaying enough heart and skill to keep the paying customers from getting too restless.

The main focus of the film is the boxing matches and the film delivers handsomely on that front. They’re shot beautifully and they have enough adrenaline in the visuals to pump you with excitement. Ultimately it’s a story of hope and redemption, and on a simplistic level, it works. It’s not the best movie, but it’s harmless and well acted for sure. Given Gyllenhaal’s physical transformation for the role, a better-written movie would have been more worthy.

Southpaw is a Jake-show all along as he takes us through the agonizing discipline of boxer’s routine.With a heartening story in tow, the film transforms a regular tale of suffering, loss and redemption extraordinarily. Though laden with cliches, it is consistently hard-hitting and never loses plot. The right blend of heart and skill works in suffusing an operatic feel to the movie which is an absolute knockout.

Though Southpaw brings nothing new, Jake Gyllenhaals acting prowess is on full display as the vengeful boxer. Southpaw leads with both hands, bringing blood and sweat onto the screen.