Raging Bull (1980)

Raging Bull

• Definitely one of De Niro’s best roles, this was one that I’m definitely glad I saw. From the opening to the very end, the whole film is packed full of drama and emotion, which is why it’s so good. The opening shot was great, and the music that accompanied it was beautiful. It beautifully sets the mood and tone of the rest of the movie, and it does a great job of preparing you for what’s to come. I’ll definitely say this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing movies I’ve seen, and the monochrome color scheme was awesome. This movie still would’ve been good in color, but the black and white really helps authenticate the story and setting. It’s weird to say, but it gives you almost a comfortable feeling, despite the darker content. The only time you see color in the film was in the scene where Jake LaMotta’s life and family was captured on home video. Asides from the color and old feel of the home video, I also love how you get to see how his life is chronicled on film, in the film. I love how this movie takes place over several years, and watching LaMotta’s career progress was really interesting. The fight scenes were also extremely well shot, and the closeups of the blood and spit provided awesome detail to the film. The makeup was really good, and it made the fights seem like they were real. I also loved the shots where De Niro was standing in the ring dripping blood and sweat, and the smoke and lights were in the background. It was straight up beautiful. Like I said, De Niro absolutely destroyed in this role, and he did a fantastic job. He showed so much emotion in so many scenes, as well as great physical talent in the boxing scenes. I also loved how he willingly gained 60 pounds to play older Jake. He just did an amazing job. In fact, he did such a great performance, in one of the opening scenes, I actually thought he was the real Jake LaMotta. He fit the bill so well, both physically and emotionally. Joe Pesci did a great job as well, and he and De Niro are an unstoppable duo. I also loved how they got Jake LaMotta to consult on this film, which was a cool thing to see. Also, this movie was produced by the same guys who produced Rocky, so that was also really cool. The music was great, both the score and the added songs. The score was beautiful and had some great arrangements. I also loved a few songs that this movie had. It included “Two O’Clock Jump”, which is one of my favorite swing songs of all time. Also included was “All or Nothing at All” by Frank Sinatra, which was a great addition, as well as a beautiful rendition of that song. The last song it used that I love is “Come Fly With Me”, also by Frank. That one is in my top 10 of my favorite Sinatra songs of all time, so I was very excited to hear it. Overall, Scorsese did an absolutely amazing job on this movie, and it’s definitely one of the most iconic sports films to date. The reason my Enjoyment Score is at an 80% is because despite the awesome story and acting, I did find myself getting bored in several scenes. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!