Cinderella Man isn't the best film in the filmography of either director Ron Howard or star Russell Crowe. But that's really testament to how good they can be (let's forget The Da Vinci Code and Les Miserables for now), than a slight against the film. You see, the biopic of heavyweight boxer James J. Braddock is a cracking biopic that feels right at home alongside boxing classics Raging Bull and Rocky. Crowe really went through the wringer for the part, going up against real boxers for the on-screen fights, which resulted in concussion, a dislocated shoulder and cracked teeth. After that you can imagine Ben Affleck wasn't too upset about missing out on the role of Braddock; along with fellow Bostonians Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, he was considered for the part. Given that none of those actors look a thing like Braddock it seems like Howard was once again taking his feel-alike tact. Still, we can't see anyone doing the part better than Crowe, who is actually a relatively close physical fit to the boxer, did. Would you have liked to have actually seen Affleck cast in any of these roles? Let us know your thoughts on what might have been in the comments below.
