Jake Gyllenhaal and Forest Whittaker shine in this boxing movie. Thankfully for me, I’m not a boxing fan, it’s more about finding motivation amidst despair.

A friend told me it didn’t have much boxing so I thought I could stomach it. I did like the Rocky movies and others like it since like “Warrior” for example. Still, I wasn’t sold with the trailers on this one. I’m happy to say, in spite of a lot of boxing, I really enjoyed this movie. The story is “Southpaw’s” strong point.

We live in such dark and uncertain times of bomb threats and terrorism that a movie with this message is just what the psychiatrist ordered. Where do you find the motivation to fight when all you love is gone? “Southpaw” portrays a guy in a low state such as this. The boxing is the metaphor for survival and it’s a universal struggle being portrayed.