Boxing movies. Tough to make a good one. People get all excited about Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby,” but I found it to be utterly, irredeemably cliched. And so that’s a primary danger of the subject matter. One more chance. One last fight. One more obstacle to overcome. The loss. The comeback. Redemption in the balance. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Southpaw veers in that direction, but maybe somehow manages to stay just this side of it? Or only a little over the line? It’s okay…