Raging Bull

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, Raging Bull is available in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Robert De Niro's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on MGM Amazon Channel.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Raging Bull is worth clearing space for. Raging Bull takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. The life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it. The performances from Robert De Niro and Cathy Moriarty give it more weight than the premise alone would suggest. It was released in 1980. What elevates Raging Bull is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, Raging Bull delivers. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Robert De Niro's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.