Sometimes there are those actors whose potential is obvious, but who don’t always appear in the films in which they can realize it. Miles Teller is a good example of this . Although he was amazing in Whiplash, he was mainly seen in lighter fare like the Divergent series, Fantastic Four, War Dogs, That Awkward Moment and Two Night Stand. With Bleed for This, a biopic, he portrays boxer Vinnie Pazienza.
Vinnie Paz was a boxer who won the world title in his weight class and was able to perform at the top of his ability. He always struggled not to be too heavy for his fights, and because he eventually ended up in the hospital because of dehydration, he decided to go a higher weightclass, where he also won the world title. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes involved in a car accident and breaks his neck. While his doctors tell him he will probably never be able to walk, let alone box, Vinnie can’t forget the sport. He is willing to do everything to get back into the ring, even if it means that he will slowly start training again with a broken neck (against the advice of his doctors).
Everyone likes interesting comeback stories and of course this is one. It is unbelievable to see what risks this boxer took to get back in the ring. Teller, who convinces with his heavy New York accent, brings Paz to life in a great way. That can also be said of his trainer Kevin Rooney, who is played by an almost unrecognizable Aaron Eckhart. The film focuses mainly on the rehabilitation period and the problems that Vinnie experiences with the people around him. It makes Bleed for This a solid film that is a good one to watch, but is not memorable enough to compete with other boxing films such as Rocky or Creed. There are simply too few stand-out moments.
