Bleed for This

With its gutsy title, kinetic camerawork and colourful characters, Bleed for This comes out swinging. From Ben Younger, writer/director of the comparably brash Boiler Room, it tells the true story of boxing champion Vinny Pazienza whose rise, fall and extraordinary comeback is undoubtedly the stuff movies are made of. Miles Teller dons the gloves of the cocksure pugilist who suffers a devastating car accident that derails his confidence and career. The road-to-recovery narrative seems irresistible on paper but, with its training montages and familiar beats, a sense of déjà vu pervades. What Younger does deliver is visual chutzpah and humour, the plain-speaking brassiness of Pazienza's Italian-American family is appealing, as are the spectacularly chintzy furnishings of their home. Teller demonstrates the requisite pluck, while Ciaran Hinds and Aaron Eckhart are cast against type as Vinny's father and his paunchy, balding coach. No-one quite brings their A game though, key emotional scenes lack impact and there's minimal psychological insight. What emerges is a film that puts on a show yet never really feels like a serious contender.