Miles Teller has truly been becoming
one of my favorite actors within the past few years. I mean, sure I enjoyed him
in films like “Rabbit Hole” and “The Spectacular Now,” but it was his
performance in “Whiplash” that told me that this guy was something special.
Sadly, he doesn’t seem to get the kind of credit he deserves from others,
because they only look at his lesser accomplishments, like “Fant4stic” and “The
Divergent Series.” However, I was recently reminded of why I love this actor,
with his newest film, “Bleed for This.”
Based on a true story, “Bleed for
This” tells of Vinny Pazienza, the boxing champ of the late-80’s and
early 90’s, who reclaimed his lost title, only to lose it after a severe car
accident. Despite this, he still has that strong urge to keep fighting, even
after his family and trainer say it’s too dangerous.
So did I enjoy the film? Damn right
I did. Ben Younger, the director and co-writer, really delivered one of the
most tense, nail-biting, dramas that I’ve seen this year, and I have to give
him props for showing us the immense grit that is exposed here. Whether it’d be
from the matches that Vinny has, or his struggles to try and move around after
the accident, it really keeps you squirming at the edge of your seat at what’s
going to happen.
Miles Teller does a fantastic job as
Vinny, portraying him as a very stubborn, but confident guy. He always keeps an
optimistic attitude about his situation, even if it puts his life at serious
risk. Also, seeing photos of Teller in the film and Paz in his prime, you do
see a pretty good resemblance between them. I also like how the movie doesn’t
immediately have him attempt training after the accident, and just tries to
relax and heal up, allowing him to soak in the reality that’s hit him. He
really brings the image of a crippled boxer to life on screen, and I’d
definitely say this is one of his best performances, right up there with Andrew
Neiman and Sutter Keely. Aaron Eckhart plays Kevin Rooney, the former trainer
of Mike Tyson who taught Vinny, and his scenes with Teller are essentially the
highlight of the movie. The banter that they share between a stubborn boxer and
an alcoholic trainer give off a charming feel to the movie. Despite wanting his
student to see the light of day tomorrow, he still shows some compassion in
wanting to help him keep up his durability as a fighter.
The supporting cast is great, but
the ones that truly stand out are the ones that play Vinny’s family,
particularly Ciaran Hinds as the father. This is the one who pushed his own
flesh and blood to fight to begin with, but still has concern over whether the
process that his son goes through will be putting it too far. That deep concern
over what could go wrong constantly clouds his mind at any given point, and you
really feel that through Hinds’ performance. Also gotta give props to Katey
Segal as the mother and Amanda clayton as the sister.
I also like how the film showcased
only three boxing matches, to signify each act. The first fight showing our
protagonist in a struggle, the second one representing the rise and sudden
fall, and the third to bring him back on track to greatness. And each of the
fight scenes are well directed and excellently shot. Kudos to Larkin Seiple,
the cinematographer, and Zac Stuart-Pontier, the editor, for constructing a
well put scene, as well as incorporating the actual footage of the real life
Vinny Paz to emphasize the realism.
The only problem I did have with the
film was that it did drag a little bit here and there. If a couple scenes were
cut a little bit shorter, it would have worked better and paced things out in the
second act a little better. Other than that, nothing else really bothered me
that much.
Overall, “Bleed for This” is a film
that I had great time watching. From the performances by Teller and Eckhart, to
the solid fight scenes and excellent cinematography, it’s a film worth give
your time to. If you get the chance, check it out and see for yourself.
Rating: 9/10
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