As implausible as it seems, this is based on the true story of an extremely spunky boxer (Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Pazienza) who won 2 world title fights, only to end up in a devastating car accident with a broken neck. More amazing is his gritty struggle to return to the ring. Miles Teller continues his canon of impressive performances with this amped up portrayal and Aaron Eckhart plays against his leading man type as his sweet but crusty trainer. Director Ben Younger has effectively captured the Italian family (albeit stereotypical), but he brings little else to the genre. The fights are unexciting and unoriginal and the storytelling lacks grit or dramatic power. Despite the potential of the story, it’s a rather bland achievement.
(2.5 / 5)