Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro) – Raging Bull
Boxing films are like visual poetry; drenched in emotion. The second film in the subgenre to appear on this list is without doubt the finest depiction of the sport in film history, and amongst the greatest sports films of all-time.
Robert De Niro’s crowning performance as Jake La Motta in Raging Bull is a hallmark of acting excellence; a powerhouse that hits the gut harder than one of his thunderous blows in the ring. The brilliant American-Italian middleweight whose destructive lifestyle and irrepressible aggression slowly destroyed his career is something of a Shakespearean tragedy; as he betters inside the ropes, he crumbles outside in the streets.
De Niro’s winced-faced, damp-eyed portrayal is something truly remarkable and still ranks amongst his finest work in a career laden with hits.
