Raging Bull review

Number 117 on the top 1000 films of all time is Raging Bull.  This film is considered Martin Scorsesee's Magnum Opus and earnt Robert De Niro the best acting oscar. 

Raging Bull tells the story of the rise and fall of boxer Jake La Motta. (Robert De Niro) Based on the real La Motta's autobiography, it focusses on the relationships he has with his brother and manager Joey (Joe Pesci) wife Vicky (Cathy Moriaty) and mafiosi Salvy Batts (Frank Vincent) and Tommy Como (Nicholas Colasanto.)

This is not the only boxing film I've seen.  I have also seen Rocky, but I much preferred Raging Bull.  This is because Raging bull had less of a focus on boxing and more of a focus on Jake La Motta who is a far more interesting character than Rocky Balboa, although De Niro mumbles just as much as Stallone does.  Raging Bull only has about fifteen minutes of boxing within it.  The rest of the film is dedicated to La Motta's interactions with his friends and family.  And we see how these relationships crumble, as La Motta allows his temper and paranoia to get the better of him.

He is constantly paranoid that his wife is cheating on him, going so far as to accuse her of sleeping with Joey.  This paranoia develops into a full-grown rage, as La Motta beats Joey in front of his family.  La Motta is an anti-hero of sorts who struggles deeply with his demons and seeing these struggles play out made for entertaining watching.  Upon watching, Raging Bull, the real Jake La Motta apologised to his wife for being so bad.  She corrected him, saying he was much worse.

Another way this film differs from Rocky (and this was intentional on Scorsesee's part) is how Raging Bull is in black and white.  He did this to distinguish it from Rocky, but also because the colour of the boxing gloves was throwing off the rest of he film.  And this was a great stylistic choice, adding in character and mood.

And lastly, a few words should go to Cathy Moriaty, Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent.  of course, De Niro, Pesci and Vincent are all in Scorsesee's mob thriller Goodfellas, but Pesci and Vincent are great in their own respective roles.  Pesci was convincing as La Motta's conflicted brother Joey and Vincent was great as mobster Salvy Batts.  Unfortunately, Frank Vincent died recently.  This saddened me particularly, as not only is he in Raging Bull and Goodfellas, but he also had a starring role in the Sopranos.  He is a formidable actor who shouldn't be forgotten.

It is said De Niro relaunched Scorsesee's career by convincing him to direct this film.  Thank God he did.  If he hadn't, he might not have made great films like Goodfellas, The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street.