raging bull review

“Raging Bull” is the cinematic equivalent of a left hook to the ribs: beautiful, brutal, and absolutely not a feel-good sports movie.

Martin Scorsese shoots it in stark black-and-white, while Robert De Niro disappears into Jake LaMotta—he even piled on weight to play the older, puffed-up version, and nabbed an Oscar for his trouble.

Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty bring fire and ice, but it’s Thelma Schoonmaker’s razor-sharp editing that makes every punch feel personal.

The boxing bouts are balletic nightmares, all flashbulbs and sweat, with the quiet domestic scenes landing harder than the uppercuts.

It’s a character study about jealousy, self-sabotage, and the price of pride—not one for a cheery Friday arvo, but essential all the same.

Call it a masterpiece, then pour yourself a strong cuppa to recover.