Raging Bull - Portraying Anger

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci

Duration: 2hr 10min

Raging Bull was one heck of a cinematic experience. The story behind the film is as interesting as the film itself. After negative reception to Scorsese's previous film "New York, New York", he nearly died of a drug overdose. After constantly denying De Niro's requests to adapt the novel of this film onto the big screen, he realized the thematic core of this story and decided to finally make the picture. 

It (in a sense) saved his career and life. 

The opening shot of the film is genius in and of itself. We see our protagonist Jake LaMotta preparing for a fight in the ring clearly displaying his masculinity. The bars of the ring show him visually caged inside as if he's a beast full of energy, battling his worst demon, himself.

All this subtext and inner character explored in a single shot with no dialogues. This proves to us the power of storytelling. 

In most boxing films, the protagonist loses most fights and wins by the end. But here, it's reversed. Jake triumphs in all the matches. But it serves the purpose of the story.

Jake and Joey (De Niro and Joe Pesci) are brothers and we see that they care about each other despite how tough they act on the outside. On falling in love with a woman named "Vickie", Jake and Vickie get married and live a happy life, as shown in a temporary montage containing color. The whole film is shot in black and white. But the significance of the use of color here is to show how "colorful" his life is full of affection. But it's short lived. just like his happiness.

Jake becomes overprotective of his wife assuming she's cheating on him and thus begins his path to self destruction. He doesn't want her meeting any men (her friends) and this causes a lot of conflict with him and his friends. Slowly, he even starts abusing her. We are disgusted by Jake's actions and the film doesn't glorify it. Instead, it shows it's ugly and ruthless nature. 

Even Vickie is of strong character. She isn't afraid to stand up to the men who put her down. We feel for her as she's restricted from her freedom as a woman.

Even the matches in the ring become more exciting instead of repetitive as each personal conflict in Jake's life reflects his performance in the match making them all unique and distinctive than the previous one. The editing and sound design also add to the experience.

Soon enough, Jake's jealousy and insecurity consumes him and leads him to beat his wife and brother Joey. We don't wish to be part of Jake's downfall, but we're forced to sit and witness it, as a passive observer.

This causes Jake to lose the last match. He's beaten to a pulp and it shows! Scorsese wasn't interested in the 'sports aspect' of this film. That is why the boxing scenes are dramatized. Scorsese wants to evoke the feeling more than the realism. The quick cuts, sound, flashy cameras are all used to evoke that feeling. He even breaks the 180 degree rule, as the right hand punching cuts to the left hand punching. But the breaking of the rule here allows each hit to feel more impactful. 

After retiring, starting his own bar, attempting to be a stand-up comedian, and becoming overweight and living peacefully with his wife and children, Jake becomes a shell of the man he was. Because of letting two underage children enter his bar, Jake is imprisoned, and his wife Vickie divorces him with the custody of the children.

The scene in the prison where Jake repeatedly punches the wall screaming, "WHY? WHY?" was impactful as we see him regretting his choices to push those who cared for him. He is mostly bathed in shadows with a little bit of light acting as a beacon of hope for redemption. 

After bailing out, Jake becomes a changed man. He is less aggressive and more calm and collected. He attempts on reconnecting with Joey wanting to kiss him on the cheek, contrasting with how he wanted Joey to punch him in the starting minutes of the film. 

Violence isn't the solution anymore.  

I found myself feeling really bad for Jake by the climax and that's what cinema does best. 

"Movies are empathizing machines" and that phrase is evident here.

This is a brilliant masterpiece that talks about unchecked jealousy and the consequences of pushing away the ones you love.

A boxing film where the real fight is within the family instead of the ring. 

Scorsese once again proves why he's the best.

Thank You for Reading.

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