Pro: Don't call it a comeback?  After earning something of an infant terrible reputation, the creative force behind such films as "Spanking the Monkey," "Flirting with Disaster," "Three Kings" and, love it or hate it, "I Heart Huckabees" has helmed his most commercially viable, crowd pleasing  film ever.  And his peers will be hard pressed not to recognize his gutsy move in shooting the boxing scenes in the flick as though they were being broadcast on television.  It's inspired stuff.

Con: Russell has never been nominated for any of his pictures and he may need to do some major work on the awards circuit and the media to battle his longstanding rep.  Because, as many already know, if Oscar is anything it's a popularity contest.