It's a solid boxing film that focuses more on the boxer’s background than prolonged depictions of violent fights. James Braddock’s eventual climb to the championship offered an uplifting story during a period between Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis’s well-known tenures, when the heavyweight title was frequently passed around. My one reservation about Ron Howard's film concerns its depiction of Max Baer, who Braddock defeated to claim the title. To heighten the drama, his character was altered, portraying him as an aggressive and cruel individual, even including a tasteless remark directed at Braddock’s wife. It seemed they required a villain, so they created one. I developed an interest in Max Baer when I was younger and have learned quite a bit about him over time. He could be intense when serious in the ring, but generally he appeared carefree and didn't particularly enjoy boxing. Interestingly enough, Max Baer’s son also expressed disappointment at seeing this unfamiliar person presented on screen—this was Max Baer Jr., who played Jethro Bodine from *The Beverly Hillbillies*. But it’s a common practice when films are adapted from true stories; alterations are standard. They can still be enjoyable to watch, though perhaps not as a resource for an academic paper, wouldn't you agree?

Source on TMDB