Jake Gyllenhaal's Boxing Movie That Almost Starred Eminem Is A Hidden Gem Streaming On Paramount+

Antoine Fuqua's "Southpaw" isn't an exceptional sports drama. That said, the 2015 boxing film features an exceptional central performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, who transforms himself into boxing champion Billy Hope. The physicality of the role alone demanded a lot from Gyllenhaal, who had to undergo intense training for five months and research the nuances of boxing as an underground subculture. "Southpaw" doesn't do anything special with its clichéd premise, where a down-on-his-luck Billy is pushing himself too hard against the concerns of his wife, Maureen (Rachel McAdams), and ends up paying the price soon after. 

Gyllenhaal's impressive turn as Billy is supported by McAdams' incredibly grounded presence, along with a compelling breakout performance by Oona Laurence, who plays Billy's daughter, Leila. While the film soars above its mediocre storyline due to its lead performances, Gyllenhaal wasn't initially supposed to play Billy, as "Southpaw" was tailor-made for a specific rapper and songwriter. You see, Billy Hope's struggles were modeled after the personal struggles faced by Eminem (!), as screenwriter Kurt Sutter was deeply inspired by the rapper. "Southpaw" was supposed to be a spiritual continuation of 2002's "8 Mile," which stars Eminem and dramatizes autobiographical elements from his life. 

Within this context, the film was supposed to be an inspiring reborn-from-the-ashes story suited for Eminem, who was also interested in the role. In 2012, he exited the project to focus on his music, after which Fuqua was brought on board, with Gyllenhaal replacing the rapper. Although this recast drastically altered the direction of Sutter's script, Gyllenhaal brought a complex vulnerability to Billy outside of the ring and enriched "Southpaw" as a whole. 

The film is currently streaming on Paramount+, so let's have a closer look at Fuqua's boxing drama. 

Spoilers for "Southpaw" ahead.

Every person has their limits, but Billy wants to keep pushing, even after he suffers nasty injuries during a match against an opponent. Maureen is understandably afraid that Billy is going to lose sight of what's important if he keeps this up, especially with regard to his daughter, Leila. Tragedy strikes when Billy is goaded into a fight against Miguel (Miguel Gomez), and Maureen is shot when things escalate. Losing Maureen leaves Billy more battered and broken than in any of his fights, and his life takes a nosedive while he succumbs to drugs and alcohol.

These bleak, desperate moments come alive due to Gyllenhaal's solid grasp of Billy's hopes and dreams, which have always revolved around boxing since he was a child. His strategy so far has been to take horrific hits until his opponent gets tired and complacent, and use an opening to land a decisive hit. Such tunnel-visioned focus has cost him the love of his life, which kickstarts an arduous redemption arc that is extremely melodramatic in tone and treatment. With his daughter being placed in foster care, Billy needs to find a way to protect her while also taking back control of his life and overcoming utter despair.

This is certainly no "Rocky," which uses its emotional excess to pull us in and invest in the characters whose lives are forever changed. But "Southpaw" is a competent character study and a decent boxing movie if you're willing to overlook the lackluster genre templates it limits itself with.