[yasr_overall_rating]
The inspirational story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza who, after a near fatal car crash, which left him not knowing if he’d ever walk again, made one of sports most incredible comebacks.
“Bleed for This” sticks with the tried and true formula of boxing movie dramas and it is all held together by Miles Teller. He plays Vinny Pazienza, a three-time champion in three different weight classes. Pazienza is your standard good ol’ boy from Rhode Island, knocking his way through life and boxing. After a winning slugfest against Gilbert Dele, Vinny is involved in a head-on accident which fractures two vertebrae and dislocates another in his spine. After the accident, he is told he may never walk again, let alone fight in the ring.
Without this series of events there would be no film. The whole movie is the depiction of this boxer defying the odds and coming back from a life-altering injury to fight in the ring once more, against all odds. Teller is accompanied by Aaron Eckhart who plays Kevin Rooney, Vinny’s trainer. After the accident, they train in secret in Pazienza’s basement, building the man back up and trying to resurrect his career, one that everyone around him thinks is dead.
The film does well with what it has but it doesn’t stand out in the least. It is far from being concise and fresh even though Teller and Eckhart try their hardest to bring that feeling to the table. This is a film that keeps itself in the realm of comfort, not daring to make any standout moves. Why would you? If the crowd likes the current formula, go with that. Sometimes, the best option is to do what works until you can afford to dabble in the unknown. That idea, while good for sales, leaves the film as being too predictable but sometimes that’s all you need.
In theaters Friday, November 18th
