I’m really looking forward to “Southpaw,” in theaters July 24, 2015, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it’s directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), written by Kurt Sutter (“Sons of Anarchy”) and Richard Wenk (“The Mechanic”), and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, who never does anything easy.
Case in point, just look at his recent films: “Nightcrawler,” “Enemy,” “Prisoners” and “End of Watch,” to name a few. Not to mention that he won the “My Characters Are Too Twisted For the Oscars” Award in our annual “Janie Awards.”
In “Southpaw,” he plays Billy “The Great” Hope, reigning Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World who has it all: an impressive career, a beautiful and loving wife (Rachel McAdams), an adorable daughter (Oona Laurence) and a lavish lifestyle.
But when tragedy strikes and his lifelong manager and friend (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) leaves him behind, Hope hits rock bottom and turns to an unlikely savior at a run-down local gym: Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker), a retired fighter and trainer to the city’s toughest amateur boxers. With his future riding on Tick’s guidance and tenacity, Billy enters the hardest battle of his life as he struggles to redeem himself and win back the trust of those he loves.
If there was ever a great place to promote this film, it’s at last night’s Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao boxing match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Here are Gyllenhaal and Fuqua at the event.
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