Cinderella Man (2005)

I thought the Depression-era boxing story was corny and melodramatic at times, yet it still moved me to tears. Russell Crowe is a genius here, making me feel Braddock’s struggle instead of just watching it. His restraint is what gets me, especially the scene where Braddock humbly begs the boxing officials for work. He is one of the finest film actors of his generation, and Paul Giamatti is an excellent scene partner whose performance deepens the film’s emotional core.

Ron Howard made his best film in about a decade. He does lean on heavy-handed sentimentality now and then, particularly the flashbacks to the family. Still, he mostly steps back and lets his actors carry the material, and that restraint is what makes the film work.