He grew up being a fearless boxer in betting street fights because what he faced at home was worse if he didn't win-brutal, inhumane beatings by his father. Not surprising Jake LaMotta ended up in juvenile detention for attempted theft, and under the tutelage of a catholic priest learned how to take his raw boxing talent to a competitive level. LaMotta turned pro at 19 and the iconic Raging Bull, also known as the Bronx Bull, was officially launched on the world.
Multi-talented, numerously awarded filmmaker and Grammy nominated music producer, Argentinian-born director Martin Guigui (9/11, Beneath the Darkness) brings his musical, acting, writing expertise to this project. There is a rich use of music to enhance the message plus set the era in the audiences mind, well accompanied by setting design and camera focus. For many this movie is seen as a complement to the Academy Award-winning film Raging Bull starring Robert deNiro which portrays LaMotta's life as a fighter. The Bronx Bull is about LaMotta after the ring: many marriages, dysfunctional relations with his children and father, good friendships and financial hardship.
The young Jake is played brilliantly by Iranian-Australian Mojean Aria (Aban & Khorshid), a man who is creating a career around conscious and progressive acting; the older, retired LaMotta is played by a screen veteran of dark, threatening roles, William Forsythe (Hawaii Five-O, Check Point, The Untouchables (TV)). LaMotta's uncompromising dictatorial father is Paul Sorvino whose authoritative figure is seen in major Italian Mafia films (Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in Queens) while life-long best friend, street-fight-arranger and later porn film producer among other businesses is played by Joe Mantegna (The Godfather: III, Criminal Minds (TV)). Despite his vast contribution to LaMotta's career, we see too little of the priest Father Joseph, played by Ray Wise (X-Men, Star Trek, Mad Men (TV)).
An engaging biographical movie on sports history which humanizes a person whose face in the public was one of violence, but whose intentions were not. LaMotta's mercurial temper out of the ring put him in trouble with the law and the people around him, but his sense of humor and conversation skills put him in a good place with the ladies and audiences as a comedian and speaker later in life. He is known as one of the few who stopped the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson, although it took six matches to eventually do so, by which time LaMotta jokes he'd almost developed diabetes. Ninety-six now, the former World Middleweight Champion with an impressive career record of 83 (wins)-19 (losses)-4 (draws) with 30 knockouts, lives with his seventh wife and is still coherent and quick witted.
Multi-talented, numerously awarded filmmaker and Grammy nominated music producer, Argentinian-born director Martin Guigui (9/11, Beneath the Darkness) brings his musical, acting, writing expertise to this project. There is a rich use of music to enhance the message plus set the era in the audiences mind, well accompanied by setting design and camera focus. For many this movie is seen as a complement to the Academy Award-winning film Raging Bull starring Robert deNiro which portrays LaMotta's life as a fighter. The Bronx Bull is about LaMotta after the ring: many marriages, dysfunctional relations with his children and father, good friendships and financial hardship.
The young Jake is played brilliantly by Iranian-Australian Mojean Aria (Aban & Khorshid), a man who is creating a career around conscious and progressive acting; the older, retired LaMotta is played by a screen veteran of dark, threatening roles, William Forsythe (Hawaii Five-O, Check Point, The Untouchables (TV)). LaMotta's uncompromising dictatorial father is Paul Sorvino whose authoritative figure is seen in major Italian Mafia films (Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in Queens) while life-long best friend, street-fight-arranger and later porn film producer among other businesses is played by Joe Mantegna (The Godfather: III, Criminal Minds (TV)). Despite his vast contribution to LaMotta's career, we see too little of the priest Father Joseph, played by Ray Wise (X-Men, Star Trek, Mad Men (TV)).
An engaging biographical movie on sports history which humanizes a person whose face in the public was one of violence, but whose intentions were not. LaMotta's mercurial temper out of the ring put him in trouble with the law and the people around him, but his sense of humor and conversation skills put him in a good place with the ladies and audiences as a comedian and speaker later in life. He is known as one of the few who stopped the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson, although it took six matches to eventually do so, by which time LaMotta jokes he'd almost developed diabetes. Ninety-six now, the former World Middleweight Champion with an impressive career record of 83 (wins)-19 (losses)-4 (draws) with 30 knockouts, lives with his seventh wife and is still coherent and quick witted.