Those who recall Jake Gyllenhaal’s breakthrough performance as “Donnie Darko” in 2001 might have a tough time reconciling that little-boy-lost character with his pumped-up prizefighter in this year’s “Southpaw.” The latter work conjured the kind of body-and-soul transformations associated with Robert De Niro in his prime, or another child actor-turned-leading man, Christian Bale.
In his review for Variety, Justin Chang wrote: “You can practically smell the blood, the sweat and the fierce actorly commitment rising from Jake Gyllenhaal’s bruised and tattooed body.”
Gyllenhaal’s role in “Nightcrawler,” barely a year prior, went in the opposite direction physically, with his nocturnal prowling cameraman with a nose for carnage looking gaunt to the point of sickly.
Ten years after Jake Gyllenhaal starred in the landmark Brokeback Mountain — and almost eight years after the death of co-star Heath Ledger — the actor said he had no qualms about taking the role when it came his way.
