You've probably seen that insane picture of an unrecognizeable Jake Gyllenhaal screaming in a boxing ring, his body shredded to bits and pieces. It was a stunning transformation, and now we know what for. The trailer for his new movie Southpaw just hit the web, and it's an intense roller coaster ride that follows the rise, fall, and rise-again of Billy "The Great" Hope, a champion boxer who loses everything and fights to get it back.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the movie also stars Rachel McAdams as Gyllenhaal's wife, 50 Cent as his promoter, and Forest Whitaker as his trainer. Based on the clip, it looks like Gyllenhaal, who spends most of the movie with his face (and spirit) broken, gives a performance that goes straight for the jugular—continuing a career makeover that sees him avoiding obvious blockbuster fare for more challenging roles. The script was written by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, so expect pure darkness before the dawn. But if anything will get you through what looks like a brutal moviegoing experience, it's those abs. Southpaw hits theaters on July 31.
