#4 Raging Bull

Title: Raging Bull

A.F.I. Ranking: 4

Director: Marin Scorsese

Starring: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent

Release Year: 1980

Brief Synopsis: This movie is based on the book Jake La Motta wrote about his life. Jake was a middle weight boxer during the 1940s and 1950s. Jake had a winning career, a supportive brother, and a loving wife until he takes the anger he uses in the ring, out of the ring. Jake’s jealousy pushes him over the edge and he begins to mentally and physically abuse the people most important in his life putting everything he loves about his life in jeopardy.

My Thoughts: This role is arguably the best of De Niro’s career. He gives a powerful, raw performance and at times is unrecognizable in his role as Jake. This movie shows what a great actor Joe Pesci is and makes me wonder why he ever went down the road of the Home Alone type movies. Along with the acting, the fight scenes, both in and out of the ring, are what make this movie so great. They are in your face and don’t hold back. You know a fight scene is good when blood gets splattered on the crowd watching the fight. Joe Pesci has one fight scene involving a car door that actually had me yelling out loud at the TV. Chills. Adding to the grit of this film was Scorsese’s decision to film it in black and white.

I really enjoyed this film, which can be compared a little bit to On the Waterfront. De Niro actually quotes On the Waterfront towards the end of this movie. I will say this movie was good, but I think I enjoyed On the Waterfront more, but that might just be because of my love for Marlon Brando.

“If you win, you win. If you lose, you still win.”

Rating: List worthy.