Bleed for This

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.

When it comes to film, there is no other sport that has delivered such powerful and emotional dramas on the big screen as boxing. It's the personal drama they delve into that makes them so relatable to audiences. That's not to say we've all climbed the Rocky Steps or assaulted family members as a result of paranoia though.

Many have been based on true stories and that is certainly the case with Bleed For This, a film based on the astonishingly courageous real life experiences of Vinny Pazienza.

Played by Miles Teller, Pazienza was a World Champion Boxer who was left not knowing whether he'd be able to walk again after a near fatal car accident caused severe spinal damage. Rather than let it defeat him, Pazienza aimed to get back in the ring, setting in motion one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history.

The biggest draw of Bleed For This are its performances, particularly the knock-out lead one given by Miles Teller, one of the hottest young actors in Hollywood today. Teller never loses the cockiness of Pazienza, even when he faces a life without boxing, turning him into such a remarkable character.

I really enjoyed the pairing of Teller and Aaron Eckhart as his trainer, Kevin Rooney. Eckhart hasn't really had much to shout about in recent years but I do think he's a good actor, showcasing it here with a good performance. Ciarán Hinds and Katey Sagal deliver fine performances as Vinny's mother and father, taking me a while to realise it was even them with the change in appearance.

The best boxing films are the ones that focus more on the goings on outside of the ring than inside it, and that's where Ben Younger gets it right with Bleed For This. Yes, a big part of the story is Vinny wanting to get back in the ring but Younger chooses to focus on the man himself and how driven an individual he was to get back to his best in the ring.

Younger also delivers some energetic boxing sequences, using quick edits and excellent sound mixing to almost feel like you're taking the punches at times. The brutality of the sport is wince- inducing at times so the film does warrant its rating however, the moment that had everyone wincing was when Vinny has the screws taken out of his head after six months of wearing the halo designed to help his neck recover. It's a moment that perfectly captures the severity of Vinny's accident as well as the aforementioned cockiness, Teller playing it for laughs.

If you're a fan of boxing films, Bleed For This is a film you will want to see. Don't dismiss it entirely if you aren't a big fan of boxing films because there is plenty to admire in this portrayal of one of the most inspirational comebacks in sporting history.

Bleed For This is a great boxing movie. World class actors ensure that it doesn't miss a beat. Highly recommended.

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

This film tells the story of an American boxer, who has a bright future ahead of him. Unfortunately, he is almost killed in a traffic accident, squashing his dreams to continue boxing. He refuses to accept his fate, continues to train and make a spectacular comeback

Our hero in the film doesn't give up, working hard against all odds and then achieve the seemingly impossible. This is guaranteed to be an inspiring story, but strangely enough I don't feel the passion and emotions that I thought I would feel. The fight scenes don't seem intense enough either. Fortunately, the production is good, and Aaron Eckhart is almost unrecognisable as the boxing coach, which makes him even more convincing.