Boxing movies really are a dime a dozen. Just in the past two years, audiences have been treated to Southpaw, Creed, and Hands of Stone. With such a range of releases, its no surprise that audiences are getting a little tired of the trend. Hollywood however keeps throwing punches, with the latest boxing release Bleed for This hitting theaters.
Bleed for This follows the true story of boxer Vinny Paz, a confident boxer whose career his known for his never give up attitude. That demeanor is put to the test when Vinny suffers a life-threatening injury in a car crash.
Based on that description, many will label this film as just another boxing retread. Bleed for This however doesn’t pull any punches, bringing a seemingly by-the-numbers story to life through dynamic performances and style.
This movie is truly a vehicle for Miles Teller to shine, as he delivers a career-best performance. Taping into Vinny Paz’s unique swagger and personality, Teller is able to transcend his persona, giving much-needed layers to the character. Its truly a performance unlike we have ever seen from the young actor, one that balances Vinny’s humorous personality with his burning desire to box.
Teller may steal the show, but his co-stars are just as good. Aaron Eckhart truly disappears into the role of Kevin Rooney, trading in his clean look for a bear belly and balding head. Both Eckhart and Teller have great chemistry together, with their broken characters connecting through boxing being the heart of the movie. Ciaran Hinds, Katey Sagal, and Amanda Clayton offer solid work as well, portraying Vinny’s dysfunctional family.
Matching Vinny’s real-life swagger is director Ben Younger, who directs his first film in over a decade. He does a great job at capturing a sense of place, brining the smallness of Vinny’s Rhode Island town to life. Younger’s presence is most felt when it comes to his use of sound, with some clever editing in some of the film’s boxing scenes adding a stylish punch. Bleed for This also features a great soundtrack with a lot of catchy old-school tracks.
What makes Bleed for This standout over comparable boxing flicks is its personal dynamics. This film portrays quite a few flawed characters, but they are quite endearing in their flaws. The Paz family packs a lot of personality,equal parts caring about Vinny while offering up some amusing ball-busting quips. Vinny may never lose his ego, but his endless determination and fiery passion makes him an inspirational figure.
To excuse another boxing pun, Bleed For This is not quite a knockout. One aspect the movie surprisingly struggles at is capturing the boxing action, with these moments often times lacking the thrill they could have. The camera work is often times very sloppy, failing to capture some of the inner-details of the fights.
This movie, even though its based on a true story, does fall into some formulaic aspects of the boxing genre. Some aspects of the film feel rushed leading to the big fight, which is a shame in particular considering some of the great character moments precede it. This lessens some of the impact that Vinny’s impressive achievements have.
Bleed for This won’t be a boxing classic, but its a solid entry in one of film’s most traditional genres. Much of the credit goes to Teller, whose career-best performance brings Vinny’s larger than life personality to life.