CHUCK – Review

Hollywood’s love affair with boxing, underdog stories, and the struggles of the common man continues with CHUCK, a true story which manages to breathe some fresh life into the well-worn genre. Liev Schreiber stars as Chuck Wepner, a New Jersey boxing hero in the early ‘70s, who’d earned the nicknamed ‘The Bayonne Bleeder’ (the film’s original, better title) because of the copious amounts of blood he’d lose during an average fight. In 1975 legendary boxing promoter Don King informed Chuck’s manager Al Braverman (Ron Perlman) that Muhammed Ali was looking to fight a white heavyweight after the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and Wepner happened to be the highest ranking one around. Ali was expected to make quick work of Wepner, but The Bleeder surprised everyone by going the distance and even knocking The Champ down (the fight was called in Ali’s favor 19 seconds before the end of the 15^th round). If you think this sounds like ROCKY, you’re right. Sylvester Stallone used the Wepner-Ali fight, which happens around the half hour mark of CHUCK, as direct inspiration for ROCKY. After the success of that Oscar-winner, the applause goes straight to Chuck’s head, and while enjoying his fame, he gets hooked on cocaine and makes other poor life choices that ultimately lead him to prison.

CHUCK is a hugely likeable film, romping through its rags-to-slightly-better-rags plot with aplomb, throwing in some superbly sketched (and hideously dressed) supporting characters and a lot of snappy, street-smart dialogue. Canadian director Philippe Falardeau keeps this character-driven drama percolating with a strong visual sense, creating a vivid portrait of one of America’s most colorful neighborhoods. The filmmaker and Liev Schreiber, who not only stars but co-wrote and produced the film, obviously have a real affection for this character and his problems, almost to a fault. Wepner was a bully and a drug addict, a lousy husband and father who bottomed out in prison, but there’s never a moment in CHUCK where you’re not rooting for him. This is mostly thanks to Schreiber’s winning performance. His Chuck may be a lumbering dimwit, but he’s still a sympathetic, lovable loser. Compare this to Schreiber’s crafty, polar-opposite performance in 2014’s PAWN SACRIFICE where he played Boris Spassky as a rock-star Chess jock, and you have to be impressed with this actor’s range. Ron Perlman is effective as Wepner’s trainer while Naomi Watts as tough-tender girlfriend Linda, manages to be convincingly working-class without seeming dopey or strung-out, though that relationship seems rushed. Elizabeth Moss has some moving moments as Chuck’s long-suffering wife Phyliss, while Jason Jones and Jim Gaffigan score laughs as pals who encourage his bad behavior. Best is Morgan Spector as Stallone, who in just a couple of scenes nails the star who comes off as a surprisingly nice guy (Wepner actually sued Stallone, but that’s never mentioned). In the film’s best scene, Wepner confronts Sly at a restaurant, saying he just wanted to meet him. Stallone replies that he wanted to meet Wepner as well, gives him a big hug, and even writes a role for him in the first ROCKY sequel, though we see why that didn’t pan out. Chuck Wepner’s story arc is a familiar one, but this look at a big guy with big dreams and his earthy reactions to life’s ups and downs makes for an unchallenging film that’s easy to take.

4 of 5 Stars

CHUCK opens in St. Louis May 19th exclusively at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater