Raging Bull Self-Destruction Arc Explained

Raging Bull tells the story of Jake LaMotta, a real-life middleweight boxing champion whose life spirals into self-destruction. Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, the film shows how Jake’s inner rage destroys his career, marriage, and everything he touches. https://collider.com/martin-scorsese-best-movie-every-genre/[4]

Jake starts as a tough fighter in the 1940s, climbing the ranks with brutal power in the ring. His fights feel mythic, captured in stark black-and-white shots that make every punch hit harder. But outside the ropes, Jake’s jealousy takes over. He suspects his wife Vickie of cheating with everyone, from promoters to other boxers. This paranoia leads to explosive fights at home, where he beats her and alienates his brother Joey, who manages him.http://oreateai.com/blog/best-character-movies/8b818c595628581daea165474fda18ae[5]

The self-destruction arc builds as Jake throws a fight against Sugar Ray Robinson to prove he’s not mob-controlled, tanking his reputation. He wins the title later but loses it in a savage beating, screaming “You never got me down, Ray!” while taking punishment. His rage turns inward after prison time for introducing underage girls to mobsters. Released and broke, Jake gains massive weight, stuffing his face in a club act that mocks his old glory. De Niro’s transformation from ripped fighter to bloated has-been shows the full cost of unchecked anger.https://collider.com/martin-scorsese-best-movie-every-genre/[4]

Scorsese’s film has no easy redemption. It portrays masculinity as a trap, where pride and violence lead only to ruin. Jake’s story warns how personal demons sabotage success, leaving a man hollow. Unlike typical sports tales, this one stays punishing, focused on the fall.https://countercultureuk.com/posts/[2]

Sources
https://collider.com/martin-scorsese-best-movie-every-genre/
http://oreateai.com/blog/best-character-movies/8b818c595628581daea165474fda18ae
https://countercultureuk.com/posts/
https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/paul-schrader/the-transcendence-of-first-reformed
https://oakreef.ie/re