After the powerhouse performance Gyllenhaal gave in last year’s Nightcrawler, I am full-on Team Jake. I was mostly half-on before, but that movie put me over the edge. Now, he’s teaming up with current R-rated box office champion Antoine Fuqua and Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter to bring us Southpaw. From what I can gather from the trailer (which does do that “here’s the whole structure of the film” thing that nobody likes), Fuqua’s usual knack for intensity is in full force, and Gyllenhaal is going FIERCE. It’s pretty disorienting to see him built like a brick shithouse, but it’s a good kind of disorienting.
I’m a sucker for boxing flicks, and between the lead actor and the director (I’ve never watched Sons of Anarchy or The Shield, so I’m Kurt Sutter ignorant. Scold me in the comments), this has me sold. Plus, Jake headbutts that dude from The Strain! That guaranteed that I’ll be in the theater on July 31st.