For a while around The Playlist water cooler, we debated which of Jake Gyllenhaal‘s three movies due this year would put him in the Oscar race. Would it be the survival tale, "Everest"? The domestic drama, "Demolition"? Or maybe the boxing movie, "Southpaw"? Well, the first trailer has arrived for the latter, and it certainly won’t be that movie. But not because Gyllenhaal isn’t once again giving a committed performance.
Co-starring Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker and uh, 50 Cent, the movie tells the story of a champion boxer with issues. He manages to be the catalyst for his wife getting killed, loses custody of his daughter not long after, and has to fight literally and figuratively, to rebuild his life. On paper, that’s all fine. But in the hands of Antoine Fuqua, the drama goes over with all the nuance of dropping a cinder block on your foot. But the boxing scenes looking pretty decent.
"Southpaw" arrives on July 31st. Watch below.
There are too many real or faux biopics with "important social relevance" for a genre exercise in boxing to be a contender. But since Villeneuve said Gyllenhaal gave him hell for not avoiding cliches, he must\’ve given some personal touches in this role to justify the trouble.
That is one of those trailers that gives it all away, too bad. But it\’s totally the kind of thing that gets nominations. And if Jake wins anything for this, it will really be him being snubbed last year for Nightcrawler, the way Julianne Moore won this year for her body of work. That\’s often the case for the Oscars.
Kevins a self righteous prick. And ya, he did forget about Denzel\’s win with Fuqua.
bleccch …
Kevin, that has to be one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard from someone who considers themselves a film critic. I would love to see your reviews for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Hateful 8, The Revenant, or pretty much anything in the works that you haven\’t seen yet.
Hmmmm I wonder what happens in the movie? Can I buy a ticket to just see the last 10 minutes, as the entire movie just got summed up in two minutes and thirty seconds for me.
How on earth can you judge Jake\’s Oscar chances based on a trailer?! You\’re very quick to forget that Fuqua managed to get Denzil that coveted golden statue