Bleed for This (2016)

This my first IMDb review after years of reading them, upon leaving the cinema though I thought this deserved it. Full marks for this movie, Miles Teller for his performance but most of all for Vinny Paz ( Pazienza ) who this biography is about.

I saw this on a good size screen tonight with an enthusiastic audience, and we loved it. There were a lot of laughs throughout and a tension in the room, I really felt for this guy! Great performances from the whole cast and Miles Teller was on top form looking extremely buff. Nice to see Katey Segal looking fantastic as she always has . I wouldn't want to spoil this for anyone who hasn't seen it, although if you are a boxing fan you already know the story, just to say at the end of the film there was a round of applause, the Italians being the most vocal ha ha

I only wish there had been more ~ now I want to watch all this boxer's fights

Recommended!

Fmovies: After some big hits and more than a few misses, the boxing film has been a long time staple of our multiplexes and a sub-genre of sporting film that has provided us with some of cinema's all-time great feel good or dramatic experiences.

For each new boxing film that comes out, they now need to work harder and their punches need to land a bigger impact than the one before them and sadly Bleed for This doesn't manage to climb above its genre tropes to become anything more than a tolerable boxing drama that's void of the emotion that makes similar films like Rocky, Raging Bull and Creed work on a whole different level.

Telling the true life story of famous 1980's American boxer Vinny Pazienza, Boiler Room director Ben Younger netted himself quiet the double bill of rising star Miles Teller to play the determined and feisty Pazienza and an overweight and balding method partaking Aaron Eckhart as Pazienza's friend and trainer Kevin Rooney but Younger and the well-regarded duo fail to connect us emotionally to Pazienza's fight to overcome an horrific car crash injury to box once more.

Both performers are solid in their roles, even if they feel more like imitations rather than full-fledged flesh and blood reincarnations but we're never allowed deep into what makes these two different figures tick and despite the trial over adversity nature of what's often occurring within Bleed for This, at the end of the day without the emotionally investment it's too easy to not care.

The film as it stands also marks another disappointing experience from Teller in particular, who it could be argued goes a little to "awards baiting" here in his turn as Pazienza There's nothing majorly wrong with his performance but after Teller's early breakouts in films like Whiplash and The Spectacular Now, the failure as a whole of Bleed for This alongside recent Teller events like Fantastic Four, Get a Job and the Divergent series mark a point in the young actors career when he is all of a sudden crying out for a decent hit and an individual role that once more utilises his undeniable talent.

Final Say –

There's nothing in Bleed for This that makes it a must-see. For the most die-hard of boxing fans and those that consider themselves Pazienza fans Younger's film may be worthy of your time but for the rest of us, we've seen this type of boxing tale before countless times and with nothing new on the table presented here, it makes Bleed for This an instantly forgettable and rather unnecessary experience.

2 screws out of 5

The problem with BLEED FOR THIS is that the true story behind it is way more fascinating than the film itself which unfortunately doesn't get to be anything more than mundane. After having seen countless other comeback underdog themed films in the past, BLEED FOR THIS just seems so uninspired.

Miles Teller plays Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza, a boxer who shot to stardom after winning 2 world title fights. He's at the top of his game. But a near fatal car crash leaves him with spinal injury so bad the doctors think he may never walk again. But with the help of stubbornness and his trainer, Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart), Vinny proves everybody wrong and not only does he get to walk again, he ultimately returns to the ring and reclaims his title belt. It's been deemed as one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history.

As I said earlier, the true story of Vinny and how he defied all odds is fascinating, I mean the guy actually had metals screwed in to his head and shoulders, the damage would make even people with faith be skeptical of Vinny's recovery. So the fact that he ended up boxing again was nothing short of a miracle. But the film unfortunately is too textbook, there's nothing authentic about writer/director Ben Younger's approach, even the way it presents some of the characters' personal demons, they come across like some kind of caricatures. Which is a shame because I commend Younger for taking a risk on the guy who usually plays the funny friend ("Footloose," "Divergent") and was part of that horrible "Fantastic Four" reboot, Miles Teller. I think gambling on Teller was the right move on Younger, Teller in my opinion does his job, maybe not to the extent that De Niro did his in "Raging Bull," but Teller provides a much needed intensity. The kid's got talent. I can't say the same for the rest of the actors around him that are too busy trying to look and talk and walk like they're local Providence. BLEED FOR THIS is what happens when a script plays it too much by the book and plays it safe, what you get is a film that doesn't move you; a film that lacks imagination and excitement.

-- Rama's Screen --

Bleed for This fmovies. Feeling the lack is the first step to greatness. If you're fine with status quo you may never achieve something bigger. I'm pretty sure I have read something like this somewhere.

At least it's a fitting motto to „Bleed for This", the sports movie about this real-life young boxing champ who broke his neck and still managed to get back in form and claim another world champion belt.

More than that, Wikipedia says that he held it for over the next ten years. The guy's called Vinny Paz and he's 54 now, by the way.

So yes, it's another sports movie aiming „to the infinity and beyond"… but it doesn't go all Hollywood on our asses and actually manages to be a really good indie watch, having both heart and balls.

„Bleed for This" came out back in September and circled some festivals before reaching cinemas. The commercial success of the movie, sadly, hasn't been worthy of its tough-as-nails hero. It pretty much came and disappeared without a splash and hasn't gotten any award nominations either, big or small.

Quite why the producers and distributors didn't believe in the project enough to support it some, for Globes and Academy Awards campaign, at least, is beyond my comprehension. It's a true underdog story, also a sports movie – who doesn't like those, eh? – and also good movie in general.

(Probably the post-Trumpian USA needs more unpretentious happy tales like „La La Land" which has just managed to pick 7 out of 7 Globes.)

OK but what makes „Bleed for This" so great, then? Isn't there enough underdog and sports movies, award-winning or otherwise?

Well, I am glad you asked. In short, I like everything about it! The indie style, the atmosphere and feeling of the early 1990's working class USA, the great group of starring actors, the hardhitting boxing, the screenplayÂ…

The result is not perfect – what is, anyway? – and one could nitpick about many things if wanted to.

For example, the movie runs near two hours which is not exactly a short amount of timeÂ… but one does not get a good sense of Vinny Paz's development as a champion sportsman, or even exactly how the recovery from the big accident went. Of course, it's all explained in passing, but it doesn't satisfy to the fullest.

Maybe it's just me because I enjoyed visiting Vinny's world, family and environment so much that I left the cinema wanting more. „Bleed for This" is one of those rather uncommon sports movies that is not afraid to let characters and story breathe and develop enough to lure us in, to make us want really be there for the characters, not just flashy action.

This kind of intimate connection to the movie mostly happens when its makers have strong personal connection with the whole thing too.

Seeing that Ben Younger is the director and the sole writer, we can assume it was a personal project and he makes the most out of everybody on screen.

The big name actors here are Miles Teller as Vinny Paz, Ciarán Hinds as his father (somehow I always confuse the guy with Alfred Molina) and Aaron Eckhart as his boxing trainer.

All the others have given good performances too, but these three are really worth every penny the producers had to spend on them. Which was probably not too much because the budget was about 6 million US dollars and shooting lasted for only 24 days.

They play it rough and raw, turning the char

Ben Younger has been rather quiet in recent years with a short directorial filmography, Boiler Room being one of my favourite films, that being released sixteen years ago. Younger writes, screenplays and directs this true story of one of the greatest comebacks in not just boxing history, but in the history of sport itself.

Vinny Pazienza, now legally know as Vinny Paz was the IBF World Lightweight Champion and then later the WBA World Jr. Middleweight Champion but had to relinquish the championship belt due having his neck broken in a near fatal car accident being told by doctors that he may not walk again, let alone fight again.

Miles Teller portrays Paz meticulously, giving yet another powerful performance possibly equal to his Whiplash, being undecided. He portrays the painful struggle back to recovery and beyond with the almost medieval Halo brace Paz had screwed into his skull for three months, yet this did not deter his training much to the protests of the doctors, family and friends.

It's got great performances from Aaron Eckhart, who plays legendary boxing trainer, Kevin Rooney, and Ciarán Hinds who plays his devoted father, going through the motions of glory to guilt, both having to deal with the decisions Paz makes which makes you question what you would do as friend or parent. Support him which could essential kill him? I think Eckhart is going for an Oscar nomination here.

It's well paced and focuses more on Paz himself as oppose to the fights that are very well choreographed and captured. There's impressive editing especially empathising the pain of both surgery, recovery and the blows, actually make some parts of the film uncomfortable to watch.

There's a good, gentle score from Julia Holter that enforces the emotional strong of the story; and is accompanied by a selection of eighties classics with a few tracks from the eccentric Willis Earl Beal giving a moody bluesy mode to the film. Check out the track "Too Dry To Cry."

It's great because, yes, it is a boxing movie, but it's about getting back up, fighting the only real adversary of self doubt, especially when everyone, and I mean everyone from friends and family tell you no. Having the courage and determination to not accept defeat, or is it delusional to believe in yourself, knowing the risks. Either way, it makes a grand basis for an incredible story of the ultimate comeback.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 9 Performance: 9 Direction: 9 Story: 9 Script: 8 Creativity: 8 Soundtrack: 8 Job Description: 8 The Extra Bonus Points: 0 Would I buy the Bluray?: Yes, going next to Cinderella Man and The Hurricane.

77% 8/10

Bleed for This a sports drama based on the champion boxer Vinny Pazienza and the accident that almost left him paralyzed. It does not stop him on the road to recovery in training to get back into the boxing ring. These films are suppose to make you feel a little inspirational seeing real life situations happening to real people. The film does show very little for the inspiration.

Vinny (Miles Teller) is a cocky boxer, who rigs his body weight to meet the requirements. After the car accident, that leaves him wearing a halo ring on his neck for six months to recover. And the doctors telling him he is unable to ever go back in the ring. He spends his day, eating junk food, watching day time TV, going to strip clubs, and hanging out with his personal trainer Kevin (Aaron Eckhart). Vinny decides that he needs to work harder to train himself to get back into the ring against the doctors wishes.

The positive things about Bleed for This is it tries to have a fun sense of 1980s direction with the music soundtrack. Also, the inspirational true story about a boxer never letting a severe injury from stopping him to doing what he is inspired to do. The climax of the boxing match as Vinny is risking himself from severing his spinal cord from a single bad throw that can paralyze him was cringe worthy. Also, Miles Teller did a great job in portraying Vinny Pazienza. Aaron Eckhart playing a balding out of shape trainer was also good.

The negative thing about the film besides knowing how the turn out and what will happen to the character ends. I felt like the direction could have been a little stronger with its inspirational tone. The film does so well in trying to have a fun 80s tone, or delivering great performances with the cast. To make you feel for the moment and making it memorable unlike the others does not have much going for the movie. It can get pretty slow in the middle of the film until Vinny tries to lift weights while recovering. The music score Julia Holter does so little in making a memorable score besides having a couple of beat down 80s song.

Overall, Bleed for This is a fair sports drama film that has good talent, and an inspired concept but does so little with trying so hard on making the movie emotional. The hard recovery the boxer went through will be inspired as a strong motivation but the film sadly will easily be forgotten. I will rate the film 3 out of 5 stars.