Raging Bull

Name: Raging Bull
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Released: November 14, 1980
Duration: 129 min
Rating: 90
Cast: Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro

1980

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 591 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 591 Ratings

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Raging Bull

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Movie Details & Credits

United Artists | Release Date: November 14, 1980 | R

Starring: Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro

Summary: Scorcese recounts the gritty life self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta (De Niro) who never backs down from a fight on his way to a middleweight title shot.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Sport

Rating: R

Runtime: 129 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Staff (Not Credited)

De Niro is brilliant, as are the then-untried Pesci and Moriarty, and Scorsese pulls out all the tricks (slo-mo, visceral sound effects, twitchy editing) for a truly extraordinary modern classic. Read full review

100

Jack Kroll

Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull is the best American movie of the year, Scorsese's best film and at long last replaces Robert Wise's "The Set-Up" (1949) as the best film about prizefighting ever made. [24 Nov 1980, p.128]

100

Michael Bertin

The performances are riveting and the visuals are stunning. The boxing sequences are brutally realistic - there are no crappy Rocky theatrics here - and the humanity oozes out of every scene. Read full review

100

Ron Pennington

De Niro, however, is brilliant and his performance should be a leading contender in this year's Oscar competition. Read full review

100

James Berardinelli

Takes a cold, unflinching look at the violence both inside and outside of the ring. Read full review

100

Steve Daly

Another harsh character study, with poignant echoes of "Taxi Driver." Read full review

Gary Arnold

Martin Scorsese's obsession with a dubious mystique of masculinity turns Raging Bull into a ponderous work of metaphysical cinematic bull. Read full review

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User Reviews

Beastinc

Sep 19, 2015

The greatest boxing movie of all time and the best movie of that decade and certainly the best in history. One of my favourite. Robert De Niro gave the best performance of his career. No other boxing film past, present or future can match this movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alejandro970

Feb 26, 2022

The days of glory, defeat and fall from grace of a working-class hero from the Bronx, told in his own words. The most impressive are the combat scenes, filmed with wild realism and naturalness. One of Scorsese's most outstanding works, featuring his "favorite children" Robert de Niro and Joe Pesci.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EsaiSouza

Nov 26, 2012

One of the finest films of it's decade or any decade. Martin Scorsese painted not only a pretty picture but a beautiful and profound one as well. When I see this movie my breath is taken by the masterful acting ability of the great Robert De Niro. This is sure to make you hate but pitty himOne of the finest films of it's decade or any decade. Martin Scorsese painted not only a pretty picture but a beautiful and profound one as well. When I see this movie my breath is taken by the masterful acting ability of the great Robert De Niro. This is sure to make you hate but pitty him at the same time. Breathtaking just pure genius.… Expand

8 of 8 users found this helpful80

geewah

Jan 15, 2021

One of the greatest boxing movies of all time.
De Niro is magnificent and Scorsese's direction is spot on in this unflinching look at a brutal sport.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Filippos1987

Nov 29, 2021

Raging Bull, praised as one of director Martin Scorsese's finest films - in some circles, it is labeled his masterpiece - is a study in how a technically proficient, even masterful film can also be fairly uninvolving and dramatically unsatisfying when it's centered upon an unsympatheticRaging Bull, praised as one of director Martin Scorsese's finest films - in some circles, it is labeled his masterpiece - is a study in how a technically proficient, even masterful film can also be fairly uninvolving and dramatically unsatisfying when it's centered upon an unsympathetic individual who features insufficient character development and is given limited dramatic context. Jake La Motta (ferociously played by De Niro) may as well be an alien; his cruelty, pomposity and insecurity is powerfully displayed, but is also distancing. We have little background on why Jake is as insufferable as he is; he just IS. Ironically, although De Niro is rightfully given center stage, his co-stars' reactions to Jake are what actually give the film whatever dramatic form it has. Catherine Moriarty and particularly Joe Pesci are effective at providing foils for Jake, but his character's bizarre behavior and unrelenting hostility towards each of them somehow even further distances us from him. Cinema isn't meant to only provide likable, virtuous characters (Henry Hill is similarly flawed, although undeniably more well-developed), but when a film is centered around the redemption of a character, it is important that there should be qualifying characteristics that promote sympathy or encourage the audience to empathize with the character onscreen. It's the absence of these traits that doom Jake's voyage from blindness to self-awareness to nearly complete apathy from the audience. It is significant to note that, at least in terms of the technical, that this is one of Scorsese's most accomplished films, with his confidence here even outpacing his work on Taxi Driver; the score is also beautiful and entirely fitting. One problem may be that Paul Schrader, after making the screenplay of a lifetime for Taxi Driver, was content with making a workmanlike screenplay that takes very little risk and follows a more traditional, less creatively compelling template. Regardless, Raging Bull will endure as a film to study for its impeccable direction; its sensational editing; and its naturalistic, convincing performances. Just don't expect to enjoy watching it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Jan 16, 2018

Bless the time, the passion and the boldness, it is a scary 11th round, it is vulnerable.

Raging Bull Scorsese's career defining fight is as brutal and impressive as it sounds. Often referred as a classic by the critics, this gritty drama signifies the director Martin Scorsese's genius onBless the time, the passion and the boldness, it is a scary 11th round, it is vulnerable.

Raging Bull

Scorsese's career defining fight is as brutal and impressive as it sounds. Often referred as a classic by the critics, this gritty drama signifies the director Martin Scorsese's genius on filmmaking and his power on the pop culture world. Calling this film or particularly the character dark, wouldn't be enough. The range or the scale that it grasps in that department effortlessly is what's scary. And that is what the film does for the most part of its time. Surprisingly not in the ring against his opponents but in the house with his family.

The fights are just setting up the state of mind, just preparing him for the actual fight that he is going to start so effervescently back in real life. And it is an ugly, ugly game that they fight for. It is not everyone's cup of tea. I might be one of them. I admire the rich visual storytelling gift that Scorsese has. Just take the way he plants the premise of the plot in your head. The love track of Jake (Robert De Niro) and Vicky La Motta (Cathy Moriarty).

Now, it is based on an outrageously wrong theme, but we aren't told to go there at all throughout the course of the film. And then when it comes for devil's due, every single wrong deed haunts him back. Which is cathartic for the people loving this genre. While me. I am tired of seeing some con artist or a morally bad person excelling in his or her field only to collapse with his or her built empire. By the way, that sums up half of Scorsese's filmography. Maybe that's why I never connected emotionally with Raging Bull or any of his films, it's not that it is bad, it is exceptional filmmaking, but it's definitely not for me.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Pelen23

Jul 19, 2014

Raging bull is an overrated film that deserves appreciation for its stylish technique .however it is uninteresting, unengaging and uninvolving.There is absolutely no character we relate to. In the end , it is all about style , photography and editing but no substance.

6 of 22 users found this helpful616

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