Southpaw: Summer Preview

by Helen Earnshaw | 25 May 2015

You can't beat a hard-hitting sport drama... and that is exactly what we are going to be treated to when Southpaw hits the big screen this summer.

Southpaw

Southpaw is a movie that I have been looking forward to for some time, as it sees Antoine Fuqua back in the director's chair. If there is one thing that Fuqua really knows how to do, then it is gritty and compelling drama.

This will be the first film for Fuqua since the success of The Equalizer last year and will also see him team up with Oscar nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal for the first time.

We are used to seeing Gyllenhaal going above and beyond for his film roles as well as getting under the skin of his characters. As you can see from the trailer, the actor is going to do just that for Southpaw. Gyllenhaal has worked hard to get into terrific shape to play a boxer, and I really cannot wait to see him in action in this film.

Southpaw looks set to be part sports film and part family drama and it really is promising to be the standout drama of the summer - if you are not a huge fan of the big blockbuster films, then this is definitely something that you should check out this July.

However, it is not all about Gyllenhaal as a great cast has been assembled for the film, with Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, Naomie Harris, 50 Cent, and Clare Foley are all also on board.

Foley is a young actress who has been making a name for herself this year with the role of Ivy Pepper in TV series Gotham, but Southpaw looks set to be one of her biggest film roles to date.

She is a talent to watch out for over the next couple of years - Half the Perfect World and The Great Gilly Hopkins are just two of the other movies that we are going to see her star in this year.

Over the years, we have seen some boxing films go on to be classics - Raging Bull and Rocky being the two that always spring to mind - and Southpaw could be on the verge of joining that illustrious company.

I always look forward to any movie that is directed by Fuqua or starring Gyllenhaal and is great to see these two talents working together for the very first time - it looks like they are going to create something very special.