Raging Bull Reviews
Jhon E.
July 10, 2010
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro
Cathy Moriarty
Joe Pesci
The opening scene starts, Robert De Niro jumps around in the ring in slow motion, with the beautiful Pietro Mascagni's music score, Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo. This is one of the best openings ever; this is the opening to one of the greatest films of all time. I am not the only one has this opinion, I also share it with the list, AFI's 100 years... 100 movies..., in which the film came 4th. This is a high achievement, which it deserves, although I would give it a higher position. This film, based upon the memoirs -- Raging Bull: My Story, of real former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta.
The film follows the story of the book, with Robert De Niro playing as Jake LaMotta. It depicts how a man slowly causes self-destruction, and how this affects all those around him. LaMotta's violent ways, disrespectful traits and appetite soon make him lose everything he worked for, and is forgotten, eventually as time goes on, trying to survive as well as he can. The film uses excellent techniques, in-order to capture emotion, and right atmosphere. The cinema photography and the black and white capture every emotion, and every important punch in the fights to create a classic.
The fighting scenes are quite remarkable, when first hearing about the films general plot; I could not stop thinking about Rocky. I thought that this film might have had just been a rip-off Rocky, made four years after the great sporting masterpiece, it stood-out as an obvious copy. The two films turn out to be completely different though. The fighting sequences have a different style and keep individuality. Rocky has a more 'lift-your-hopes' feel to it, it makes you want to drop and do fifty push-ups. Raging Bull was a lot more bleak and sad. The times Rocky had a sequel, the bad times seemed ok, because he always came back. In Raging Bull, it is not always a fairy tale. The film does not have the "...And they all lived happily ever after" aspect. Despite winning, or reaching great feets, you still do not get happy, the film does not finish, and it keeps rolling. When the film keeps rolling, LaMotta does not always come back to beat-up Mr. T or a giant Russian to make another sequel and live 'happily ever after'.
Robert De Niro's acting exceeds the average expectations, by doing little things. When he shakes a man's hand, that he dislikes, he does not grip his hand, but gives a little shake. Using this technique is showing, "I don't want to know you, I don't care for you." De Niro uses these techniques like this, to not only develop his character, but to perform excellently as one of the best performances ever. De Niro plays Jake LaMotta, based upon the real person Jake LaMotta. Jake LaMotta is a middleweight boxer, who shows great talents and a brawling (violent) style of boxing. De Niro's character is soon swept-up with being a champion, and winning the title. As he chases that dream, his self-indulgent ways lead him to self-destruction.
LaMotta is a very dangerous, vicious and violent man. LaMotta has very little respect for anyone; he is willing to do anything to prove himself. LaMotta is very paranoid of the people around him, constantly making assumptions on someone's motives and actions on first meeting. He is constantly watchful of his second wife Vickie -- played excellently by Cathy Moriarty, in whom he watches every move she makes, and jumps to conclusions quickly, when seeing something, or communications between her and another man, which he believes to be an indicator of an affair. His paranoia even stretches to his own brother. LaMotta is also very abusive towards his wife Vickie and his first wife -- Irma, as well, which is why they divorce early in the film.
Joe Pesci plays his breakthrough role excellently as Joey LaMotta, LaMotta's brother -- who coincidently has a similar name to his character. He plays a loving brother that has trouble showing so. With violence is one of his main tools of love towards him. An example of Joey's anger would be the time he beats-up some men for talking to his brother's wife. Joey is constantly doing this, because Jake shows little affection and appreciation towards his brother. Jake is determined to make it on his own, wanting the title by himself, trying to prove him and the whole world. The behaviour Jake exhibits is a behaviour Joey tries to over-come, for the want to protect his brother from himself. Joey is also very protective of Jake's wife, from Jake himself in particular. Joey will often insult his brother, but even this is for the greater good, in helping his brother succeed. Joey is an extremely likeable character, unlike Jake.
Spoilers:
It all starts with the look at the end, in 1964. In the beginning (end of plot) he is overweight, and reciting a comedy act he has devised before he does some stand-up. It than goes back to 1941, where he is in a fight with Jimmy Reeves, in which he loses by a decision after almost knocking him out -- the bell rang a second before knock-out was called. It than shows him in his apartment arguing with his wife, already showing that he is violent, and that his current marriage is already failing. His brother discusses that he is able to get him a shot at the middleweight title, with some mafia connections. LaMotta than meets a fifteen years old girl called Vickie. They soon begin to date each other, despite LaMotta's current marriage. It than jumps a head to 1943, he and Vickie are married and there is no talk of his previous wife Irma. The film than follows a long string of fights and the self-destruction of LaMotta. Through jealousy, monstrous appetite and uncontrollable rage, he slowly destroys himself. He does such things as beat up his brother Joey and his wife Vickie, because she admits to have had a sexual relationship with him (although it is not true, she just said it to make him angry, she says that she has slept with everybody in the neighbourhood, a lie which Jake could not realise, because of his rage). Jake then beats both his brother and his wife. After begging to his wife, she stays, but he does not speak to his brother again for many years to come.
In the end LaMotta loses to his old nemesis, Sugar Ray Robinson, who he had versed numerous times earlier most of the times winning, defeats him for the title. After retirement, LaMotta starts a comedy act, which is failing and very low in popularity. Vickie than divorces LaMotta and takes custody of the children. LaMotta is than arrested for introducing two under-aged women to some men, who told him they were twenty-one. After the police arrested him, he is than put in a cell, where he punches the wall repeatedly. LaMotta is now overweight, and has nothing left, having to destroy his middleweight championship belt to pay for bail, which did not work anyway. He later meets up with his brother Joey, who rejects his wanting to forget the past and become friends again.
In the end of the film, LaMotta is where he was at the beginning of the film. After reciting the material he said at the beginning of the film, he begins to recites the words from On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando.
At the end, the following comes up on a black screen:
"So, for the second time, [the Pharisees]
Summoned the man who had been blind and said:
'Speak the truth before God.
We know this fellow is a sinner.'
'Whether or not he is a sinner, I do not know.'
The man replied.
'All I know is this:
Once I was blind and now I can see.'
John IX. 24-26
The New English Bible"
The credits role and the beautiful music score from the beginning of the film plays. This is one of the greatest films of all time. It is nothing short of perfect. I must say the ending was a bit hard to watch, for it was sad to see him in such a state. The film works in an interesting way, because the protagonist has very little empathy from the audience, but gains some at the end. This film is a prime example of self-destruction. How he rose to the top that fell shortly after, by his own actions. De Niro did excellent, in what I believe to be his best role ever, and one of the best roles anyone has done. The film is just so beautifully done and so good. This is certainly Scorsese's best film.
Jhon's Favourites Edition:Raging Bull
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro
Cathy Moriarty
Joe Pesci
The opening scene starts, Robert De Niro jumps around in the ring in slow motion, with the beautiful Pietro Mascagni's music score, Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo. This is one of the best openings ever; this is the opening to one of the greatest films of all time. I am not the only one has this opinion, I also share it with the list, AFI's 100 years... 100 movies..., in which the film came 4th. This is a high achievement, which it deserves, although I would give it a higher position. This film, based upon the memoirs -- Raging Bull: My Story, of real former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta.
The film follows the story of the book, with Robert De Niro playing as Jake LaMotta. It depicts how a man slowly causes self-destruction, and how this affects all those around him. LaMotta's violent ways, disrespectful traits and appetite soon make him lose everything he worked for, and is forgotten, eventually as time goes on, trying to survive as well as he can. The film uses excellent techniques, in-order to capture emotion, and right atmosphere. The cinema photography and the black and white capture every emotion, and every important punch in the fights to create a classic.
The fighting scenes are quite remarkable, when first hearing about the films general plot; I could not stop thinking about Rocky. I thought that this film might have had just been a rip-off Rocky, made four years after the great sporting masterpiece, it stood-out as an obvious copy. The two films turn out to be completely different though. The fighting sequences have a different style and keep individuality. Rocky has a more 'lift-your-hopes' feel to it, it makes you want to drop and do fifty push-ups. Raging Bull was a lot more bleak and sad. The times Rocky had a sequel, the bad times seemed ok, because he always came back. In Raging Bull, it is not always a fairy tale. The film does not have the "...And they all lived happily ever after" aspect. Despite winning, or reaching great feets, you still do not get happy, the film does not finish, and it keeps rolling. When the film keeps rolling, LaMotta does not always come back to beat-up Mr. T or a giant Russian to make another sequel and live 'happily ever after'.
Robert De Niro's acting exceeds the average expectations, by doing little things. When he shakes a man's hand, that he dislikes, he does not grip his hand, but gives a little shake. Using this technique is showing, "I don't want to know you, I don't care for you." De Niro uses these techniques like this, to not only develop his character, but to perform excellently as one of the best performances ever. De Niro plays Jake LaMotta, based upon the real person Jake LaMotta. Jake LaMotta is a middleweight boxer, who shows great talents and a brawling (violent) style of boxing. De Niro's character is soon swept-up with being a champion, and winning the title. As he chases that dream, his self-indulgent ways lead him to self-destruction.
LaMotta is a very dangerous, vicious and violent man. LaMotta has very little respect for anyone; he is willing to do anything to prove himself. LaMotta is very paranoid of the people around him, constantly making assumptions on someone's motives and actions on first meeting. He is constantly watchful of his second wife Vickie -- played excellently by Cathy Moriarty, in whom he watches every move she makes, and jumps to conclusions quickly, when seeing something, or communications between her and another man, which he believes to be an indicator of an affair. His paranoia even stretches to his own brother. LaMotta is also very abusive towards his wife Vickie and his first wife -- Irma, as well, which is why they divorce early in the film.
Joe Pesci plays his breakthrough role excellently as Joey LaMotta, LaMotta's brother -- who coincidently has a similar name to his character. He plays a loving brother that has trouble showing so. With violence is one of his main tools of love towards him. An example of Joey's anger would be the time he beats-up some men for talking to his brother's wife. Joey is constantly doing this, because Jake shows little affection and appreciation towards his brother. Jake is determined to make it on his own, wanting the title by himself, trying to prove him and the whole world. The behaviour Jake exhibits is a behaviour Joey tries to over-come, for the want to protect his brother from himself. Joey is also very protective of Jake's wife, from Jake himself in particular. Joey will often insult his brother, but even this is for the greater good, in helping his brother succeed. Joey is an extremely likeable character, unlike Jake.
Spoilers:
It all starts with the look at the end, in 1964. In the beginning (end of plot) he is overweight, and reciting a comedy act he has devised before he does some stand-up. It than goes back to 1941, where he is in a fight with Jimmy Reeves, in which he loses by a decision after almost knocking him out -- the bell rang a second before knock-out was called. It than shows him in his apartment arguing with his wife, already showing that he is violent, and that his current marriage is already failing. His brother discusses that he is able to get him a shot at the middleweight title, with some mafia connections. LaMotta than meets a fifteen years old girl called Vickie. They soon begin to date each other, despite LaMotta's current marriage. It than jumps a head to 1943, he and Vickie are married and there is no talk of his previous wife Irma. The film than follows a long string of fights and the self-destruction of LaMotta. Through jealousy, monstrous appetite and uncontrollable rage, he slowly destroys himself. He does such things as beat up his brother Joey and his wife Vickie, because she admits to have had a sexual relationship with him (although it is not true, she just said it to make him angry, she says that she has slept with everybody in the neighbourhood, a lie which Jake could not realise, because of his rage). Jake then beats both his brother and his wife. After begging to his wife, she stays, but he does not speak to his brother again for many years to come.
In the end LaMotta loses to his old nemesis, Sugar Ray Robinson, who he had versed numerous times earlier most of the times winning, defeats him for the title. After retirement, LaMotta starts a comedy act, which is failing and very low in popularity. Vickie than divorces LaMotta and takes custody of the children. LaMotta is than arrested for introducing two under-aged women to some men, who told him they were twenty-one. After the police arrested him, he is than put in a cell, where he punches the wall repeatedly. LaMotta is now overweight, and has nothing left, having to destroy his middleweight championship belt to pay for bail, which did not work anyway. He later meets up with his brother Joey, who rejects his wanting to forget the past and become friends again.
In the end of the film, LaMotta is where he was at the beginning of the film. After reciting the material he said at the beginning of the film, he begins to recites the words from On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando.
At the end, the following comes up on a black screen:
"So, for the second time, [the Pharisees]
Summoned the man who had been blind and said:
'Speak the truth before God.
We know this fellow is a sinner.'
'Whether or not he is a sinner, I do not know.'
The man replied.
'All I know is this:
Once I was blind and now I can see.'
John IX. 24-26
The New English Bible"
The credits role and the beautiful music score from the beginning of the film plays. This is one of the greatest films of all time. It is nothing short of perfect. I must say the ending was a bit hard to watch, for it was sad to see him in such a state. The film works in an interesting way, because the protagonist has very little empathy from the audience, but gains some at the end. This film is a prime example of self-destruction. How he rose to the top that fell shortly after, by his own actions. De Niro did excellent, in what I believe to be his best role ever, and one of the best roles anyone has done. The film is just so beautifully done and so good. This is certainly Scorsese's best film.
August 25, 2008
Cinematográfica y actoralmente muy buena. Es una película que logra llevar la atención de la fácilmente llamativa violencia del boxeo, hacia el interior de la psicología de un personaje atormentado al que le cuesta lidiar consigo mismo. Muy recomendable.
October 1, 2011
The visuals, sound design, rigorous editing by the master Thelma Schoonmaker, and searing performances combine to make one of the greatest and most powerful of all films and one of the definitive cinematic explorations of the inner workings of an unsympathetic and damaged protagonist
May 16, 2013
Depressing as all get out. Just a sad movie. De Niro shows true dedication to his craft in his weight gain and loss in this one. Considered a classic and certainly worth watching.
August 24, 2007
The movie stars Robert De Niro as the boxer on topic, Jake LaMotta (the actual LaMotta wrote the book). DeNiro's performance is, in this reviewer's opinion one of the greatest pieces of acting ever staged, cinema or theatre. This is a perfect performance of total commitment by a very talented method actor who is at the top of his form here- once you watch this film- you will understand why DeNiro is so highly revered as an actor and why he and Scorsese worked together so often. The movie also stars Joe Pesci as LaMotta's brother in his first major role, and Cathy Moriarity as Vickie LaMotta, Jake's second wife. They are both fabulous here, credit DeNiro for discovering both actors.
The first scene after the opening credits (which is a brilliant summation of LaMotta's character) sets the tone of one half of this film. We see LaMotta in the ring- and he is competing in a bout. We see he is a very competent boxer- but he is terrifying to watch in action. In this bout (and most of the other bouts in this film), LaMotta doesn't just knock down and knock out his opponent- LaMotta mercilessly mauls and pummels the utter crap out of his opponent. When this happens- it's horrific and brutal; you really feel sorry for any person who comes across this guy. Then, the judges decide for some reason to hand the bout to LaMotta's opponent. The crowd disagrees, and then a riot ensues. Chairs, tables and other objects are thrown around and the scene becomes total pandemonium.
The next scene is set in LaMotta's Bronx apartment, where he lives with his first wife. He and his wife have a loud, violent argument over something as frivolous as how she cooked his steak. We then see Joey barely squeeze through the door which is kept in place by the dinner table overturned. LaMotta then assaults his wife. This sets the tone for the other half of the film.
The way I've written this review makes Jake LaMotta out to be a complete bastard. This is not the case. He has qualities that I believe redeem him in the common man's eyes. If he was a complete bastard, it would be harder for the audience to relate to this character. LaMotta is aware of the fact that his behavior is not okay- and he feels really bad about it. This is exemplified by when he tells his brother to hit him to apparently prepare for an upcoming bout. Joey is reluctant, but Jake anatongizes Joey by slapping him in the face, and Joey's anger boils over and he starts punching Jake in the face.
Then, after a number of events over time, Jake divorces his first wife and marries a young girl named Vickie. Then, a number of violent events occur that alienate Joey and Vickie from Jake, and then, the film turns into a story of redemption. Jake is not happy with himself, and has not been since the movie began. He wants to change, and this is the start of his redemption.
The practicing Catholic Scorsese found a personal connection here through LaMotta's redemption, seeking forgiveness for his sins. Intitally he did not want to do this film, and he poured all his energies into making it- because he believed it would be the last film he would ever make. It wasn't Scorsese who wanted to make this film- it was DeNiro, and it took him 4 years to make it. He finally succeeded after he visited Scorsese in hospital after drug problems of some kind and said that they needed to adapt LaMotta's book into a film. They ended up making one of the best films I've ever seen.
RAGING BULL is an adaptation of a book about a real story of a boxer whose insecurities and low self-esteem destroyed his life outside the ring. It is a masterwork by a master filmmaker who proves here that he is so far and above almost every other director of his time. I believe RAGING BULL is Martin Scorsese's finest film- it is a tragedy of Homerian proportions, a searing, violent and generally uncompromising portrait of an unsympathetic and a repugnant man- so much so that anyone would probably regret having anything to do with this guy.
The movie stars Robert De Niro as the boxer on topic, Jake LaMotta (the actual LaMotta wrote the book). DeNiro's performance is, in this reviewer's opinion one of the greatest pieces of acting ever staged, cinema or theatre. This is a perfect performance of total commitment by a very talented method actor who is at the top of his form here- once you watch this film- you will understand why DeNiro is so highly revered as an actor and why he and Scorsese worked together so often. The movie also stars Joe Pesci as LaMotta's brother in his first major role, and Cathy Moriarity as Vickie LaMotta, Jake's second wife. They are both fabulous here, credit DeNiro for discovering both actors.
The first scene after the opening credits (which is a brilliant summation of LaMotta's character) sets the tone of one half of this film. We see LaMotta in the ring- and he is competing in a bout. We see he is a very competent boxer- but he is terrifying to watch in action. In this bout (and most of the other bouts in this film), LaMotta doesn't just knock down and knock out his opponent- LaMotta mercilessly mauls and pummels the utter crap out of his opponent. When this happens- it's horrific and brutal; you really feel sorry for any person who comes across this guy. Then, the judges decide for some reason to hand the bout to LaMotta's opponent. The crowd disagrees, and then a riot ensues. Chairs, tables and other objects are thrown around and the scene becomes total pandemonium.
The next scene is set in LaMotta's Bronx apartment, where he lives with his first wife. He and his wife have a loud, violent argument over something as frivolous as how she cooked his steak. We then see Joey barely squeeze through the door which is kept in place by the dinner table overturned. LaMotta then assaults his wife. This sets the tone for the other half of the film.
The way I've written this review makes Jake LaMotta out to be a complete bastard. This is not the case. He has qualities that I believe redeem him in the common man's eyes. If he was a complete bastard, it would be harder for the audience to relate to this character. LaMotta is aware of the fact that his behavior is not okay- and he feels really bad about it. This is exemplified by when he tells his brother to hit him to apparently prepare for an upcoming bout. Joey is reluctant, but Jake anatongizes Joey by slapping him in the face, and Joey's anger boils over and he starts punching Jake in the face.
Then, after a number of events over time, Jake divorces his first wife and marries a young girl named Vickie. Then, a number of violent events occur that alienate Joey and Vickie from Jake, and then, the film turns into a story of redemption. Jake is not happy with himself, and has not been since the movie began. He wants to change, and this is the start of his redemption.
The practicing Catholic Scorsese found a personal connection here through LaMotta's redemption, seeking forgiveness for his sins. Intitally he did not want to do this film, and he poured all his energies into making it- because he believed it would be the last film he would ever make. It wasn't Scorsese who wanted to make this film- it was DeNiro, and it took him 4 years to make it. He finally succeeded after he visited Scorsese in hospital after drug problems of some kind and said that they needed to adapt LaMotta's book into a film. They ended up making one of the best films I've ever seen.
Stefan N.
March 28, 2013
Not your average boxing melodrama.Scorsese gloriously represents a paranoid and jealous man's inner struggles outside of the ring which essentially isolate him from his loved ones. "Raging Bull" is an emotional ride through the life of a despicable character who we feel sorry for in the end. From the cinematography to the editing, every part of this film is crafted masterfully. The performances, notably from DeNiro, are some of the finest in cinema. The black and white is actually used well instead of just being thrown at the audience claiming it is artistically valuable.The credit is largely due to the writers since they dug deeper into an ordinary life of a boxer to make one of the most captivating stories. One of the few movies everyone must watch.
May 12, 2013
Once watch Raging Bull, you will forever remember Raging Bull. Only a glimpse of Robert De Niro talking to the mirror "I could have been a contender", only some notes from the tragically beautifully composition by Mascagni, those are more than enough to bring tears to anyone that once loved, and still loves the tragic fall of the ever proud and arrogant Jake La Motta.
May 10, 2013
If your ever doubting watching this film on a Friday night..don't. Robert de Niro shows the true extent of his ability in one of the best acting performances your ever going to see in your life.
May 8, 2013
ekplorasi karakter jack lamotta adalah sebuah studi psikologis mendalam dan menyeluruh yang cukup mewakili karakternya baik dalam ring tinju maupun diluar selama masa keemasan karirnya dalam durasi dua jam. rekomend.
April 28, 2013
After Taxi Driver Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro team up again to bring us another cinematic masterpiece. Raging Bull is yet another masterpiece by director Martin Scorsese, everything is done flawlessly in my eyes. Two of Scorsese's previous writers, Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) and Mardik Martin (Mean Streets), write the movie's script and it truly is a brilliant script. The story is truly remarkable, the dialogue is fantastic, and the characters are just so realistic and that's one of the main reasons why the story works. One of the reasons why the story is so effective is because it's grounded in reality, you could believe this could happen and that works out for the best because this story actually did happen. Scorsese does another brilliant job at directing this movie, the one thing Scorsese does the best is directing the actors because all his movie's are character driven and he always manages to get his actors to give incredible performances. Robert De Niro gives a spectacular performance as Jake LaMotta and is one of the best performances of his career. The supporting cast is fantastic which includes great performances from Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty. One thing that I find very cool about this movie is that it's shot almost entirely in black and white and I thought that added a lot of the realism in the movie. The cinematography was just so beautiful and unique because it was shot in black and white, plus the boxing scenes in this movie were well filmed and choreographed. One last thing, the score to this movie is just brilliant and beautiful. Overall Raging Bull is a marvelous film and is yet another Scorsese classic.
Negro W.
April 28, 2013
Outstanding duo De Niro and Martin Scorcese
April 24, 2013
Raging Bull is a difficult film. La Motta (De Niro in perhaps his most physically and emotionally taxing role) is an extremely frustrating and tragic character to behold. However, difficult and frustrating do not mean bad.
Alex H.
December 24, 2012
Martin Scorsese's beautifully filmed biopic of boxer Jake La Matta is absolutely flawless. De Niro and Pesci give absolutely perfect. I never knew just how good Robert De Niro was of an actor until seeing this. Okay, yes, he was good in the Godfather: Part II, but he's not really in it that much compared to Al Pacino. this film also enhances my belief of black and white being much more mysterious and stylized than color. it really makes the story much more intense and makes the boxing scenes completely unforgettable. I don't see how anyone could forget De Niro questioning Pesci about if he slept with De Niro's wife. Please, if you have not seen this masterpiece from Scorcese, then you need to see it.
John B
Super Reviewer
April 22, 2013
Another slice of De Niro at his prime back when he actually seemed to care about the roles he was picking. It has been suggested that De Niro as LaMotta is more interesting than LaMotta himself. Having met Jake, I don't think that is the case. It's a character actor bringing out the full character of a man.
April 21, 2013
"Wrap it around your hand! How many more times do I gotta tell you?" "Not too many more..."
Paul
December 12, 2009
Just as Scorsese and De Niro did with Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, they create a character study that is nearly unwatchable at times because it's so realistic. De Niro becomes LaMotta, he completely gives his soul to the character and goes down with him. You can see the madness in his eyes, the pain in his voice, and the arrogance in his walk. He's consumed by the character and it's never short of brilliant. It's one of cinema's finest performances, and you'll probably never see something like it again. De Niro proves his cinematic status with this film and if I had to pick one film to sum up his legendary career, I'd pick Raging Bull.
Despite Scorsese's raw direction and De Niro's outstanding performance, they aren't the only ones who deserve credit for this nearly flawless production. Cathy Moriarty is fantastic as the innocent and sexy Vickie, who is wooed by LaMotta's genuine charisma, only to find out the harsh reality of his deep emotional issues. Joe Pesci is great as well, it's always a treat when Pesci, De Niro, and Scorsese decide to team up and this is probably their finest collaboration together. The two of them together in a scene in always fireworks and it's no different here. The "hit me in the face" scene in one that sticks out in which it showcases the raw performances from De Niro and Pesci.
Raging Bull is a haunting, mesmerizing, and raw biopic that showcases Robert De Niro at his absolute finest and near flawless direction by the legendary Martin Scorsese.
Raging Bull is Martin Scorsese's biopic of Jake LaMotta. A boxer who's heavy emotional baggage and violent tendency's slowly destroys his personal life. Robert De Niro masterfully plays Jake LaMotta, with Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci also starring as the loved ones that are most vividly affected by his rage. This film won two Oscars; De Niro for Best Actor and Schoonmaker for editing. It's a shame that this film didn't net Scorsese a Best Director statue because his direction in this film is absolutely incredible. He gives the film such a raw and edgy style that really makes it hard for the viewer to sit through. You not only vividly witness his anger, but you feel it as well. Also, their is a boxing scene in the film in which Scorsese used the "shower" technique from Psycho. He generates a brilliant sequence of sharp punches that are expressed through rapid quick cuts and shots of splattered blood. Even if you know nothing about boxing, this scene gives you a feel of the brutality of the sport and it's one of the most memorable sequences in the film.
Just as Scorsese and De Niro did with Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, they create a character study that is nearly unwatchable at times because it's so realistic. De Niro becomes LaMotta, he completely gives his soul to the character and goes down with him. You can see the madness in his eyes, the pain in his voice, and the arrogance in his walk. He's consumed by the character and it's never short of brilliant. It's one of cinema's finest performances, and you'll probably never see something like it again. De Niro proves his cinematic status with this film and if I had to pick one film to sum up his legendary career, I'd pick Raging Bull.
Despite Scorsese's raw direction and De Niro's outstanding performance, they aren't the only ones who deserve credit for this nearly flawless production. Cathy Moriarty is fantastic as the innocent and sexy Vickie, who is wooed by LaMotta's genuine charisma, only to find out the harsh reality of his deep emotional issues. Joe Pesci is great as well, it's always a treat when Pesci, De Niro, and Scorsese decide to team up and this is probably their finest collaboration together. The two of them together in a scene in always fireworks and it's no different here. The "hit me in the face" scene in one that sticks out in which it showcases the raw performances from De Niro and Pesci.
Raging Bull is a haunting, mesmerizing, and raw biopic that showcases Robert De Niro at his absolute finest and near flawless direction by the legendary Martin Scorsese.
