Crowe’s Cinderella

Russell Crowe stirs the first Oscar-talk of the season: “An exquisite ode to a working-class hero, “Cinderella Man” takes the almost impossibly perfect elements of the saga of underdog boxer James J. Braddock and fills it with emotional gravitas, wrenching danger and a panoramic sense of American life during the Great Depression. Oscar winner “A Beautiful Mind” seems a warmup to this main event, in which helmer Ron Howard grasps the full measure of artistry he’s often reached for, and gifted thesp Russell Crowe limns a role he seems born to play. Universal’s summer release strategy seems riskier than Braddock’s final bout, but solid, sustained B.O. boosted by glowing critical response — with a late-round re-release during awards season — could deliver winning results.”