The saving grace for "Southpaw" is the nuanced performance of its star, Jake Gyllenhaal because the story explores nothing new - the down-on-his luck pugilist, the grizzled trainer, the caring wife. Following Nightcrawler with another amazing physical transformation, Gyllenhaal commits to inhabiting his character, Billy Hope with ferocity and intensity. If "Southpaw" had been released in November, it might have garnered an Oscar nomination for Gyllenhaal. However, the July opening makes it questionable whether anyone will remember come nomination time at the end of the year. "Southpaw" offers few surprises. Its strength lies in the depth of its characters, believable individuals who make the predictable story seem more compelling than it really is.
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