Cinderella Man, a knockout every time!

I sometimes find it diffuclt to fall asleep, and although I tend to be absolutely shattered by the end of every work day in particular, it's the simple fact that I am over tired or whatever that ironically makes it very, very difficult to fall asleep! Although your body can hear the bed calling to it, your brain has no intention of just laying there and switching off, so you just lie there in this half-awake, half-asleep sort of pergutory and whimper to yourself, thinking about how much fun all the other people who are asleep are having.

So, often times it's necessary for me to listen to some music or watch a dvd or something like that to help lull me to sleep. The music seems to work for most people, but for some reason I always tend to choose the worst possible songs to listen to when the objective is to fall asleep. Somehow, bands like AC/DC and Pearl Jam just don't seem to get the job done (hhmmmm, I wonder why!) So, the alternative is to switch on the computer, or a DVD. The computer can be tricky, as it requires effort and once it is turned on, everything you do stimulates your brain even more so, once again, not the best thing to use for a nighty- dreamy -snoozey-snooze! So then we turn to good old Mister Television...When has it ever steered you wrong? NEVER! That's when! Turning to the dvd collection in a hapless, zombified haze, choosing the right movie can be just as important as choosing the right song...you obviously want to steer clear of anything that may stimulate or grab your attention in any way, and you want to pick something with very little substance, to just leave on in the background to create some sort of peaceful ambiance.

So why then, do I find myself drawn towards the most stimulating and engaging movies that you could ever watch when the intent is to fall asleep? Pretty much anything by Pixar is always so tempting. It's kind of like the forbidden fruit or something. The Toy Story movies in particular, are so damn immersive that whenever they're turned on and that all too familiar Randy Newman classic "You've got a firend in me" starts to play, that's it, I'm on board for the long haul, watching with childlike awe and enjoyment for the full 75 minute run time. Similarly, one film that I find particularly inspiring and engaging is "Cinderella Man" starring Russell Crowe as the aging boxer James J. Braddock. A film so engaging that, by picking it out from the collection, you are immediately telling yourself to change objectives...and that now falling asleep isn't the primary concern...now you MUST stay awake and watch this movie, in it's entirity.

I'm a huge fan of the Rocky movies, and if you were to ask me what my favourite movie of all time is, depending on the day, I'd probably tell you that it's "Rocky", and while that's the case, I can't help but feel that there's something profoundly heartwarming about the story of Braddock, and although it's not my favourite film by any means, there aren't too many movies out there that excite me the way Cinderella Man does. Maybe it's the idea that through conquering the depths of America's Great Depression by physically and literally fighting his way through it, long after a professional athlete's career should be over that astounds me so much, or maybe it's the heartwrenching scene in which Braddock's wife Mae discovers that his seemingly wealthy trainer, has sold every last piece of furniture in his home, save a table and chairs, in order to pay for Braddock's training equipment that enthralls me every time. Whatever it is about the plot itself that makes it so appealing, I find the characters to be some of the most likeable and heartfelt ever committed to celluloid. With a cast that includes Paul Giamatti and Rene Zellwegger, how could the film go wrong. Not the least of these impressive supporting characters is the "villain" Max Baer, played by Craig Bierko. Bierko is quite a versatile actor, showing it in spades here. This role is a far cry from his charming and humorous Jeffrey Coho character in "Boston Legal".

I find it extremely funny that Craig Bierko was originally cast as Chandler in "Friends" but turned the role down. It always seems so interesting when you hear about actors who are cast in these HUGE roles, that subsequently quit, or are fired and then you hear very little from them again. It was the same for Eric Stoltz, who was cast as the original Marty McFly in "Back To The Future" and then went on to achieve mediocre success, while Michael J Fox shot to immediate super-stardom. Regardless of whether or not he regrets turning down that role of Chandler Bing, Craig Bierko, although perhaps not as financially successful as Matthew Perry, can take solace in the fact that he has proven himself to be a more versatile and distinguished actor, and he is amazing in this film.

I think the one fact that is most inspiring about this film is that it is based rather closely on the real life trials and tribulations of James Braddock, a man who is said to have paid back welfare money once he started earning money again, and the fact that it so perfectly conjures an image of what the great depression must have been like. And, although Chuck Wepner knocking Muhammud Ali to the canvas is an historic sporting moment (and responsible for the creation of Rocky), it just doesn't compare to the underdog story that was "Cinderella Man".

Top film, check it out. Now, should I go to sleep, or watch a dvd?