Review of Raging Bull (1980) by Taylor R — 24 May 2011

I just rewatched this after almost five years, and I was still stunned by its psychotic violence, impressed by De Niro's unbelievable performance, and absorbed by Scorsese's minimal yet pointed direction.

I don't agree that this film has a redemptive quality to it. It's about a terrible man who is first unable, and then refuses, to recognize that he is the cause of his problems. Driven entirely by impulse, La Motta has nothing - not love, not trust, absolutely nothing - beyond his concern for satiating his immediate impulses.

A powerful statement on evil, Scorsese's complete lack of judgment on his title character can make the film difficult to watch and understand. Still, after all these years, it's still an effective, emotionally wrenching movie.