Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Boxing movie masterpiece still brutal, bloody.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Raging Bull
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 16 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a powerful yet brutal exploration of violence and domestic abuse, showcasing Robert De Niro's outstanding performance as Jake LaMotta. While the cinematography and direction by Martin Scorsese are praised, the film's heavy use of profanity and graphic content is noted, making it unsuitable for younger audiences.
- intense performance
- strong language
- graphic violence
- complex themes
- not for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In 1964, old, fat, washed-up Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro) prepares for his nightclub routine. Flashing back to 1941, we meet young Jake, vicious and angry, delivering punishing blows to his opponents in the boxing ring. Outside the ring, he doesn't behave much differently. He fights with his wife, seduces a young girl, Vicki (Cathy Moriarity), marries her and begins treating her with jealousy and suspicion. His brother Joey (Joe Pesci) sticks by him, but Jake even treats him badly. Eventually Jake wins the middleweight championship, but can he stop the inevitable downfall that follows?
Is It Any Good?
Director Martin Scorsese uses gorgeous black-and-white photography to evoke the period. But that barely covers up the mean, modern stuff, from the language and behavior to the ferocious fight sequences. (Scorsese deliberately shot them to be cinematic rather than realistic.) On top of it all, the performances set a new standard for American movies and actors, with De Niro famously gaining 60 pounds over the course of the production. Pesci and Moriarity perfectly match him. Rarely do movies explode with this much power.
One of the world's most respected movie directors, Scorsese made Raging Bull at an interesting period, coming between his gritty New York movies (Taxi Driver) and his slick gangster movies (GoodFellas); it has attributes of both, making it something of an essential Scorsese experience. His camera angles and the Oscar-winning editing are flawless, including the memorable first meeting of Jake and Vicki through a chain-link fence.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. How is the violence in the ring different from the violence outside the ring? How did the filmmakers highlight the violence in this movie?
Is Jake a bully? Is he a role model? Is this still a good movie even if the subject isn't a good guy?
What has made this movie stand the test of time?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 14, 1980
- On DVD or streaming : January 1, 2000
- Cast : Cathy Moriarty , Joe Pesci , Robert De Niro
- Director : Martin Scorsese
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : United Artists
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 129 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Awards : Academy Award , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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