Raging Bull

Come to think of it, Raging Bull was the first Martin Scorsese movie that I ever saw. The sight at a person, who destroys his own life right in front of you is unbelievably crushing. Nevertheless the character of Jake LaMotta, in a perfect delivery by Robert De Niro, deserves admiration because, just like most good boxers, he never gave up. (25/10/2006)

Not so much a film about boxing, but rather about the struggle of an emotionally unbalanced man with his surroundings and eventually with himself. The story builds slowly and gradually to reach an emotional climax in the fight scene with Ray Robinson. Here La Motta, weighed down by remorse, redeems his wrongdoing through willingly taking the punches of his opponent's boxing glove. Blood spurts in all directions and the viewer shudders in horror and amazement. Scorsese's direction is simply fantastic, De Niro is phenomenal, but it would be unfair not to mention the great editing and cinematography. And last but not least, Joe Pesci, who is De Niro's equal acting partner. Raging Bull is a film that may not win the viewer over immediately, thanks to its slower first half hour, but it lingers all the longer afterwards. (27/06/2004)

This is a film of undeniable quality with a story that literally radiates a specific and unmistakable atmosphere, where you strongly sympathize with the main character throughout his tortuous life journey. But success goes hand in hand not so much with the direction as with the excellent performances by De Niro, Pesci and Moriarty. They are the ones who are constantly at the centre of the action, they are the ones who transmit all the emotions, they are the ones whose characters you will find both sympathetic and repulsive throughout the film. Similarly, the script is brilliantly and cleverly constructed, as if it was tailored exactly to the body of the main characters. And yet, I must give it only 4*. I'm sure you know that feeling when after finishing a film that was smart, well acted and well shot, you still can't shake the sensation that it wasn't quite right, that it lacked something. Raging Bull is exactly one of those cases for me. (13/01/2012)

What? The best boxing film and there's about ten minutes of boxing? But it’s brilliant. I like Rocky, I like Paul Newman in Somebody Up There Likes Me, but of all these battered men, Jake La Motta is my favorite, and I don’t know why. (19/09/2007)

Scorsese is a director who is two classes better than Avildsen, and the same can be said about Robert De Niro compared to Sylvester Stallone. However, I won't give more than 3 stars even in this case because boxing is as likable to me as encountering an agitated swarm of wasps, and testosterone-filled Jake LaMotta is not the kind of guy I would want to share a double house with. As a study of masculinity and uncontrollable jealousy, it is quite decent, but the film didn't captivate me in any way. Overall impression: 55%. (19/11/2010)