Chuck (2017)

Redundant and unnecessary.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

"Chuck" is a sad, albeit entertaining, story about a loser with a heart of gold.Wepner was called "the bleeder" due to his always seeming to get cut in his fights. The real-life Chuck needed 72 stitches after his loss against the brutal punching Sonny Liston. He also lost to George Foreman, Liston's successor as the most feared man in boxing.Wepner was, in short, a fan favourite not due to boxing skill, but due to his toughness and heart.Somehow, the stars aligned and Wepner found himself ranked in the top ten. Don King wanted a white guy to fight his champion, Muhammad Ali, who had just done the impossible and defeated Foreman. No one gave Wepner a hope in hell of defeating Ali, and the truth was, he didn't have one, either. But he almost went the distance, and he knocked Ali down.This was the fight that inspired "Rocky". Wepner is the Italian Stallian, Ali is Apollo Creed.Then, the fame goes to Wepner's head, and we get a fairly predictable series of failures involving drugs, broken relationships and prison time. Stallone actually wants Wepner to star in "Rocky II", but he's on so many drugs by that stage, he blows the audition. "Chuck" rises above the cliche, however, by keeping its protagonist relatable.It also brings out the real jewel in its crown - not Schreiber, though he is good, but a show-stoppingly brilliant Naomi Watts, who deserved an Oscar for the complete transformation she did into the role of Wepner's second wife. She is unrecognizable, and not just in terms of looks. The performance is stunning.It's easily the best thing about the movie, and everything else kind of pales in comparison to Watts' performance. It's good, but it's not THAT good, unfortunately, and this is a movie of relatively limited interest to anyone who isn't a boxing fan, or a "Rocky" fan.

As a former boxer, an aficionado of boxing movies wanted to like this movie more than I did. That said, the overall story, the acting, the angle was actually very very very good. The biggest problem I had was the soundtrack trying to ground it as a period piece that too often not only overshadowed the actors but worse, drowned them out. This movie was about the nuance's of Chuck Wepner's life that shaped him. That was a great build in telling a realistic story and not making the character too villainous nor too sympathetic. Basically human. Those drowned out nuances unfortunately for me diluted the potential strength the film could have provided.

Chuck Wepner, the "Bayonne Bleeder," he was the pride of Bayonne, New Jersey, a man who went fifteen rounds in the ring with Muhammad Ali, and the real life inspiration for Rocky Balboa. But before all that, Chuck Wepner was a liquor salesman and father with a modest prizefighting career whose life changed overnight when, in 1975, he was chosen to take on The Greatest in a highly publicized title match. It's the beginning of a wild ride through the exhilarating highs and humbling lows of sudden fame-but what happens when your fifteen minutes in the spotlight are up? The Bleeder is another boxing failure where good actors careers go and die, the movie is full of boxing clichés, the acting isn't particularly and not every story needs it's own film especially box. Seriously stop it Hollywood you can't make another Rocky in fact i don't buy what this film is selling me and especially the fact that Chuck is kind of prick that tries to suck the fame of Rocky and even uses the theme song at one point to achieve his goal on staying on top he wasn't a good fighter and this wasn't a good film either.

"Chuck" is one interesting and dark biopic tale of fame and the fall that one can take when they don't know how to deal with the success and money that brings along vices. Anyway most movie and sports fans are familiar with the story of how Sly Stallone brought about the story of "Rocky" it was thru the boxing match of little known Chuck Wepner and when he faced "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali and took him the distance in a real life bout. And this picture tells the story pretty well."Chuck" is an up and down story of good times and bad times it's a roller coaster ride of hope, luck, inspiration, and reflection of life. Set in 1970's New Jersey boxer Chuck Wepner(in a good turn from Liev Schreiber)gets the title shot of his life against Muhammad Ali and the "Bayonne Bleeder" goes the distance in a tough loss, and this becomes the inspiration for the real movie "Rocky".After becoming a celebrity with fame and money the abuse of cocaine and alcohol becomes so common for Chuck and he drifts away from his wife(Elisabeth Moss) and family so self destruction is so the norm as Chuck's life goes down the drain and even serves a prison stint. Thru it all this guy is a bleeder of life and determination a fighter. As Chuck even starts a new romance with a new lady(played by Naomi Watts).The film has a mix of past footage from the actual fight and the picture is told thru Chuck's voice as he recounts his life and times and the 1970's period is captured just fine. Overall good real life story about the rise of fame and it's a showcase of struggle and redemption, proving not always if you win or lose, but it matters if you go the distance.