We watched this movie in AP lit class these past 3 days. Besides the fact the fact that its full of mature/adult stuff so I wouldn't recommend you watch it, but it evokes lots of emotion.
It's about a famous boxer, La Motta, played by Robert Di Nero, and how he went from a champ to being, as he called himself at the end of the movie, "a bum".
IMO he doesn't deserve sympathy, however since it's in the boxer's perspective you actually feel sad for him at the end.
I also felt bad after he beat up Joe Pesci, who in the movie is his brother. Great guy that Pesci.