Jake Gyllenhaal is a Knockout in ‘Southpaw’

Sports movies are a dime a dozen, but one’s centering on boxing offer something a little more – at least they have a track record of doing so. The intensity of the big match, the physicality of the boxers, the heart of the story as a whole. Those elements have continued to be the centerpiece of what makes movies like “Rocky,” “Raging Bull” and “Million Dollar Baby” not only fan favorites, but critic darlings and Oscar winners. Now it’s up to this summer’s “Southpaw” to keep up the momentum. It looks great, but does it have what it takes to be one of the best of 2015?

Last year audiences saw a frail Jake Gyllenhaal in “Nightcrawler.” This year he’s transformed into a man who looks like he’s trained a day or two with Dwayne Johnson. The 34-year-old pushed his body to two extremes for spectacular roles, but it’s “Southpaw” that may earn him the Oscar gold. Gyllenhaal plays Billy Hope, a boxer on top of his game with a wife (Rachel McAdams) who wants nothing more than for him to leave that world so they can focus more on their family, which includes their daughter Leila. Despite his fame and fortune, he decides to call it quits and at a retirement party, his wife is accidentally killed. Hope loses hope and his daughter after he fails to cope with his wife’s death. He then has to put that pain aside and get back in the ring to regain not only his place in the box realm, but Leila as well. Just like Rocky had Mickey, Hope has Tick (Forest Whitaker) and together they fight hard to win his life back.

Interestingly enough, Gyllenhaal wasn’t the first choice for this role. Eminem was. The rapper was “Southpaw” writer Kurt Sutter’s first choice back when he penned the script in 2010. While he didn’t score Slim Shady for the part, he did get him to produce the soundtrack. By the way, if Sutter’s name looks familiar, he’s the man behind the hit series “Sons of Anarchy.” Fans can expect not only a lot of heart from this film, but grit as well.

Every year Gyllenhaal gets smarter and smarter with his projects and judging from the trailer alone – he’s picked a clear-cut winner with “Southpaw.” He first gained notoriety with “Donnie Darko” and then again alongside Heath Ledger in “Brokeback Mountain.” While he’s been in some great films, this is the one that may earn him not only a lot of nominations come awards season, but some wins as well.

“Southpaw” opens everywhere July 24.