Director Ben Younger
Genre Biography | Drama | Sport
Cast Miles Teller, Katey Sagal, Aaron Eckhart, Ciarán Hinds
Rating R
Release Date November 18th, 2016
“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 sport’s most incredible comebacks.”
Bleed for This is an emotional sports drama based on the life and career of boxing star Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza. The film is directed by Ben Younger, his first film since 2005's Prime. During an interview, the real Vinny Paz as he calls himself these days, now 53 years old, is quoted as saying the film is 1000% accurate. Bleed for This stars Miles Teller (Whiplash, War Dogs), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight), and Ciarán Hinds (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Woman in Black).
A raw and intimate portrayal of a man and his will to fight, Bleed for This is a powerful story brought to life by a talented cast. I went into the theater relatively oblivious in terms of Vinny Pazienza's career, but I figured a fresh mind was the best way to experience the film. Not only was I blown away by Pazienza's story and the struggles he faced, I was thoroughly impressed by how raw and genuinely gritty the film felt in terms of the cinematography, score, etc. At times you will feel the urge to look away during some of the more heart-wrenching moments but that speaks volumes to the effectiveness of the story. I felt invested in the pain experienced by the characters as well as the unbreakable bonds that were created. A career-defining performance by underappreciated actor Miles Teller invites the audience to not only experience what Pazienza went through during the most difficult time in his life, but to actually feel his pain, and in some small way relate to his incredible perseverance. Bleed for This feels reminiscent of Mark Wahlberg's boxing film The Fighter (also based on true events) as they do share many similarities, but overall I have to give the nod to Teller, especially considering Wahlberg's performance was slightly overshadowed by talented actor Christian Bale in the 2010 film.
As I touched on already, Bleed for This put together a cast that was born to tell this story. Lead by Miles Teller, who delivers a performance that should have people talking come award-season, the entire cast seemed to reach a level of chemistry not often found in film today. This is easily Teller's best performance since 2014's drama Whiplash, which earned him a Best Actor nomination. Aaron Eckhart is outstanding in a supporting role as Pazienza's trainer Kevin Rooney. Rooney, a current trainer, formerly trained Mike Tyson for about 3 years at the beginning of his professional career in 1985. Eckhart effortlessly portrays a man with many demons, but at his core a kind heart and indestructible loyalty. Veteran actor Ciarán Hinds, with 107 credits on his iMDB page, plays Vinny's father Angelo. Hinds and Teller have a strong father/son bond evident throughout the film. Former Married with Children and Sons of Anarchy star Katey Sagal is great as the somewhat overbearing, but loving mother.
Bleed for This is not only an incredible sports drama based on true-events, it is a film so well made it should appeal to all audiences. Movies based on actual events are a dime a dozen these days and they always seem to be very "loosely based," which can be frustrating. As Confirmed by Vinny Pazienza himself, Bleed for This is as accurate as possible and actually toned down a bit in a few aspects, which is unheard of. Do yourself a favor and take the time to check out this incredible true story, you won't be disappointed. Highly recommended and "Paz Approved".
