Much like 'Goodfellas', Martin Scorsese's 1980 Raging Bull is one of the finest films ever made and appears on many of the all time greats, and for good reason too! It is an amazingly well acted, brilliantly written and directed story and has fantastic cinematography as well as great characters and a realistic take on a somewhat ordinary concept. Robert de Niro once more signed up with Scorsese for what would turn out be yet another legendary film. He plays a boxer named Jake LaMotta, whose character is given such story with family and his boxing life outside it. Despite this being a sports film, Jake's family is explored deeply in this film making it all the more realistic, considering what happens by the end of the film. de Niro is truly fantastic as Jake LaMotta as is Joe Pesci, who plays his younger brother. The two have great on screen chemistry and great performances give for a truly entertaining and realistic looking characters.
Martin Scorsese is a legendary director. There is no doubt about it. Films such as 'Goodfellas', 'Raging Bull', 'Taxi Driver' and 'The Departed' have clearly ensured that he be given a place amongst the very best. He is able to transform even the simplest of ideas into an extraordinary film. The plot to the film is that a young boxer climbs to the top whilst his outside world with his family and kids crumble around him. That is an ordinary concept. Nothing special about it but it is Scorsese's direction and writing that make this yet another incredible film. Jake La Motta is one of the most realistic characters that Scorsese has tackled in his career and the writing and the way it was executed are the reasons behind it.
Interestingly enough, Martin Scorsese keeps this a black and white film, stating that it helped make the film look all the better and more realistic. I couldn't agree more! The black and white cinematography looks gorgeous throughout the course of the film. It added a certain dark tone to the film and made it all the more entertaining. Had it being a color film, a certain element of the brilliance would be wiped away.
Whilst 'Raging Bull' may not be Scorsese's best film it is certainly my favorite and I have only had the pleasure of viewing it the once! Martin Scorsese has the gift to transform an ordinary concept into an absolute mindblowing masterpiece that gives an extremely realistic take on a boxer's life, whose family life crumbles as his greed and power take him to the top of the boxing ring. The performances are fantastic and the execution and writing is truly fantastic and the film itself is sad, funny and extremely intense.
Grade- 10/10
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