Feb 24 2025 231 mins 5
(Deep Dive begins at 43:35)
"Every underdog has his day." Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian and BFF of the BFE from The Scuttlebutt Podcast (Megs, B-Tech Kev & Liam are off training for their next big fight) – as we step into the ring for grit, determination, and Depression-era boxing in Cinderella Man (2005). We’re swapping a grimy Edinburgh flat for Madison Square Garden and diving into our 267th episode as we discuss:
- How Russell Crowe delivers a knockout performance as James J. Braddock.
- Renée Zellweger’s role as the supportive yet strong Mae Braddock – does she get enough credit?
- Does Paul Giamatti steal the show as the passionate manager, Joe Gould?
- The realism of the boxing sequences – do they hold up in 2024?
- Is it fair to call this film a boxing film or is it something else?
- Who is the biggest villain of the movie: the Great Depression, Promoter James Johnston, Max Baer, or the system keeping Braddock down?
- Could this be Ron Howard’s most underrated film?
- We talk about hockey's Four Nations tournament and why sports make the best narratives.
- Whether Cinderella Man is the Best Film Ever.
Catch so much more of Hermes Auslander on The Scuttlebutt Podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scuttlebutt-podcast/id1503504933 (Apple) or https://open.spotify.com/show/2n9CNB9X6QXnmvn78HBEoJ?si=1bf26c4a13cd4234 (Spotify)
Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.
We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:
Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
Hermes Auslander
James DeGuzman
Synthia
Shai Bergerfroind
Andy Dickson
Chris Pedersen
Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
Randal Silva
Nate The Great
Rev Bruce
Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
Richard
Ryan Kuketz
Dirk Diggler
Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
NorfolkDomus
John Humphrey's Right Foot
Timmy Tim Tim
Aashrey
Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.
Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.
Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.