The movie Southpaw, written by Kurt Sutter, directed by Antoine Fuqua, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the reigning light heavyweight division champion Billy Hope, is an American sports drama film released in 2015. Billy is on top of the world until his life takes a tragic turn for the worst when his wife Maureen (played by Rachel McAdams), is shot and killed by a stray bullet in a confrontation with rival boxer Miguel Escobar. The grief for his late wife leads Billy into a downward spiral of substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and eventually the loss of his home, agent (played by 50 cent), and most importantly the lost custody of his daughter Leila (played by Oona Laurence). During his quest for redemption Billy seeks the help of trainer Tick Willis (played by Forest Whitaker) to get him back on track.

             Throughout the film Jake Gyllenhaal delivers my personal favorite performance of all time. Gyllenhaal brings everything you can ask in terms of his physical appearance to the film, gaining 15 pounds of muscle to produce his near 200 pound lean frame for this role. His character development from the highest of highs to the grief of losing both his wife and his daughter is displayed perfectly. Southpaw uses the world of boxing to tell a story about different adversities, particularly those concerning emotional bonds between loved ones. Jake Gyllenhaal and his daughter in the movie, Oona Laurence, display the affects of the passing of Billy Hope’s late wife on their relationship and mental health as a whole through their extremely raw and vulnerable performances. The tragic events that the characters within the movie have experienced give each punch meaning in itself whether it is to express anger and revenge or even hopelessness and despair.

            In conclusion, Southpaw is more of an emotional journey through broken bonds and adversity than a typical boxing movie. This adventure through adversity is driven by my personal favorite performance from my personal favorite actor, Jake Gyllenhaal. Not only does Gyllenhaal deliver an outstanding physical performance, but he also displays an emotionally moving and vulnerable journey through hardship. Gyllenhaal is also aided in his performance by his costar Oona Laurence. Although Laurence is just a young child in the film, she also delivers an astonishing, heartbreaking performance that works greatly alongside Gyllenhaal. Ultimately, Southpaw is a film that uses the world of boxing to effectively narrate a story about battling adversity after life kicks you down, making it a must-watch for anyone who appreciates an emotional redemption arc.