Chuck (film)

Last updated
Chuck
Chuck film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Philippe Falardeau
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyNicolas Bolduc
Edited by Richard Comeau
Music byCorey Allen Jackson
Production
companies
Distributed by IFC Films
Release dates
  • September 2, 2016 (2016-09-02)(Venice)
  • May 5, 2017 (2017-05-05)(United States)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$502,518 [1]

Chuck (released as The Bleeder in the UK and Ireland) is a 2016 American biographical sports drama film directed by Philippe Falardeau and written by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl, Michael Cristofer and Liev Schreiber, who also stars in the title role. The cast includes Elisabeth Moss, Ron Perlman, Naomi Watts, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport, Pooch Hall, Morgan Spector, Jason Jones and Catherine Corcoran. The film depicts the life of heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner and his 1975 title fight with the heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, which inspired Sylvester Stallone's character and screenplay for the 1976 film Rocky .

Contents

Principal photography began on October 26, 2015, in Suffern, New York. Chuck received its world premiere at the 2016 Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2016. It was released May 5, 2017, by IFC Films.

Plot

Chuck Wepner, known as the 'Bayonne Bleeder', is a heavyweight boxer known for his iron chin and reckless behaviour. He lives with his second wife Phyllis and daughter Kimberly in New Jersey. By 1974, he was rising up the boxing ranks hopeful for an eventual fight with the champion George Foreman, defeating Terry 'the Storming Mormon' Hinke in the process. Chuck's trainer and manager Al Braverman receives a call from Don King citing that he will receive a title shot after George presumably beats Muhammed Ali. However, much to Chuck's shock and disappointment, Ali defeats Foreman in The Rumble in the Jungle. After witnessing Chuck flirting with another woman in a coffee shop, Phyllis leaves Chuck.

Al later calls Chuck and says that Don King wants him to fight Ali under the pretences of a "race thing", as Chuck was the only white boxer in the top 10 heavyweight rankings. Al subsequently takes Chuck to the Grand Hotel in upstate New York to train professionally. However, following the one-sided press conferences with Ali and negative press the fight receives, Chuck feels nervous. Phyliss eventually comes to see Chuck, and she forgives and comforts him.

Although the fight is largely one-sided, Chuck defies predictions of being knocked out in the third round, almost going the full distance against the champion and even knocking him down. Despite the loss, Wepner becomes a local hero. Though he is irritated to hear claims from Ali that Wepner's knockdown of him was due to a foot stomp, Chuck enjoys his newfound celebrity and becomes the basis of Sylvester Stallone's film Rocky. However, Chuck becomes increasingly addicted to his fame and begins taking cocaine. He subsequently becomes infatuated with female bartender Linda. Phyllis soon catches on to Wepner's unfaithful behavior and kicks him out of the house.

After engaging in a mixed wrestling/boxing match with Andre the Giant at Shea Stadium, Chuck visits his brother to celebrate the film's success, though he is unimpressed and despondent with the news, much to his disappointment. Instead, he is welcomed by Stallone after meeting him, and Chuck personally assists in the screenplay of Rocky 2. However, he botches his audition for a role as Rocky's sparring partner, leaving him devastated.

Three years later, Chuck's psyche worsens, and he is increasingly disheveled, arriving to Kimberly's parent-teach conference on cocaine. He is later arrested and imprisoned for possession of drugs with intent to sell. During his time in prison, he sees Stallone filming for his movie Lock Up. Chuck soon humbles himself and realizes that he was trying too hard to live up to his superstardom as the 'real Rocky', when he should be appreciative with who he has in his life.

After being released from prison for good behavior, he is given an unsanctioned charity bout with Victor the Wrestling Bear to make ends meet. Afterwards, he is visited by Linda, and the two become a couple.

End credits reveal that Chuck and Linda still live in Bayonne, and that he and his daughter have reconciled and speak daily.

Cast

Production

Schreiber, who had been attached with the project for five years, portrays Chuck Wepner. Liev Schreiber 2012.jpg
Schreiber, who had been attached with the project for five years, portrays Chuck Wepner.

On May 10, 2011, it was announced that Jeff Feuerzeig would direct the boxing drama The Bleeder based on the script he co-wrote with Jerry Stahl, about a true story of the heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner. [6] Michael Tollin and Carl Hampe were attached as producers, while Linda Zander's Maxar Pictures was attached to finance the film. Christina Hendricks was previously cast in the film to play one of the lead roles. [6] In October 2015, Liev Schreiber was confirmed to play Wepner, who always wanted to portray the role, and had been attached with the project for the last five years, and Naomi Watts was cast to play his third wife Linda Wepner. [2] Schreiber would also produce the film along with Tollin, Hampe, Christa Campbell, and Lati Grobman, with banners Mandalay Sports Media and Campbell-Grobman Films. [2] On October 22, 2015, Elisabeth Moss was cast in the film to play his second wife, Phyllis Wepner, who was with him when Wepner fought Muhammad Ali. [3]

On October 30, 2015, additional cast was announced, including Jim Gaffigan as John Stoehr, Wepner's loyal friend; Michael Rapaport as Wepner's estranged brother; Pooch Hall as boxer Ali, whose 1975 fight with Wepner led to Wepner's sudden fame; and Morgan Spector as actor-screenwriter Sylvester Stallone, who wrote Rocky soon after the 1975 fight. Wepner claimed he had inspired that film's title character Rocky Balboa but Stallone has never confirmed it. [4] On November 11, 2015, Ron Perlman signed on to play Al Braverman, Wepner's manager and trainer who guided him to the title fight with Ali. [5] On November 11, 2015, Remstar Films acquired the Canadian distribution rights to the film. [7]

Principal photography on the film began on October 26, 2015, in Suffern, New York, [8] where some scenes were shot at the Lafayette Theatre. [9] Filming ended on December 4, 2015. [10]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2016. [11] [12] It went onto screen at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2016. [13] In September 2016, IFC Films and Showtime Networks acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, beating out bidders including Netflix, Sony Pictures Classics and A24. [14] It will also screen at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2017. [15] It was released on May 5, 2017. [16]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 81%, based on 84 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Chuck is hit with a handful of sports biopic clichés but ultimately punches above its weight, largely thanks to a muscular performance from Liev Schreiber." [17] On Metacritic the film has a score of 68 out of 100 score, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [18] Glenn Kenny of the NY Times found the performances favorable writing, "Liev Schreiber has almost no physical resemblance to the boxer Chuck Wepner, but he is a terrific actor who pulls off that portrayal, partly through understatement." [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Rocky</i> 1976 American sports drama film by John G. Avildsen

Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the Rocky franchise and also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, Rocky Balboa (Stallone), a poor small-time club fighter and loanshark debt collector from Philadelphia, gets an unlikely shot at the world heavyweight championship held by Apollo Creed (Weathers).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvester Stallone</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1946)

Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Critics' Choice Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA Awards. Stallone is one of only two actors in history to have starred in a box-office No. 1 film across six consecutive decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liev Schreiber</span> American actor (born 1967)

Isaac Liev Schreiber is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s after appearing in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films. He has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award as well as nominations for nine Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards.

<i>Rocky II</i> 1979 American boxing film directed by Sylvester Stallone

Rocky II is a 1979 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film is the sequel to Rocky (1976) and the second installment in the Rocky film series. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, Rocky Balboa (Stallone), struggling to adjust to his newfound fame and family life, finds himself in a rematch fiercely demanded by Apollo Creed (Weathers).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Wepner</span> American boxer (born 1939)

Charles "Chuck" Wepner is an American former professional boxer. He fell just nineteen seconds short of a full fifteen rounds against world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in a 1975 championship fight. Wepner also scored notable wins over Randy Neumann and former world heavyweight champion Ernie Terrell. He was also the last man to fight former undisputed world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buster Mathis</span> American boxer

Buster Mathis was an American boxer who competed from 1965 to 1972. He was a top contender throughout his career, beating other top contenders including George Chuvalo and Chuck Wepner. He fought Heavyweight greats such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Jerry Quarry and Ron Lyle; he also notably beat Joe Frazier as an amateur to qualify for the Olympics but was later replaced due to a hand injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naomi Watts</span> British actress (born 1968)

Naomi Ellen Watts is a British actress. After her family moved to Australia, she made her film debut there in the drama For Love Alone (1986) and then appeared in three television series, Hey Dad..! (1990), Brides of Christ (1991), and Home and Away (1991), and the film Flirting (1991). After moving to the United States, Watts initially struggled as an actress, taking roles in small-scale films until she starred in David Lynch's psychological thriller Mulholland Drive in 2001 as an aspiring actress. The role began her rise to international prominence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Jersey State Prison</span> Medium-Security prison in New Jersey

East Jersey State Prison is a medium-security prison operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections in Avenel, Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. It was established in 1896 as Rahway State Prison, and was the first reformatory in New Jersey, officially opening in 1901. It housed 1,227 inmates as of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Balboa</span> Character in the Rocky film series

Robert "Rocky" Balboa is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the Rocky film series. The character was created by Sylvester Stallone, who has also portrayed him in eight of the nine films in the franchise. He is depicted as a working class or poor Italian-American from the slums of Philadelphia who started out as a club fighter and "enforcer" for a local Philly Mafia loan shark. He is portrayed as overcoming the obstacles that had occurred in his life and in his career as a professional boxer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippe Falardeau</span> French-Canadian film director and screenwriter

Philippe Falardeau is a Canadian film director and screenwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pooch Hall</span> American actor

Marion "Pooch" Hall, Jr. is an American television and film actor known for his role as Derwin Davis, the football player on the sitcom The Game, and as Ricky in the 2011 film Jumping the Broom. He also played the character of Daryll Donovan in the Showtime drama Ray Donovan.

Rocky is an American sports drama multimedia franchise created by Sylvester Stallone, based on the life of Chuck Wepner, which began with the eponymous 1976 film and has since become a cultural phenomenon, centered on the boxing careers of Rocky Balboa and his protégé Adonis Creed.

In individual combat sports, a tomato can, or simply can, is a fighter with comparatively poor or diminished skills who may be considered an easy opponent to defeat, or a "guaranteed win." Fights with tomato cans can be arranged to inflate the win total of a professional fighter. Similarly, a fighter whose record consists of wins over easy opponents is referred to as a "can crusher". The phrase originates in the childhood pastime of kicking a can down the street—a boxer is advancing his career with minimal effort by defeating a tomato can and notching a win. "Tomato" refers to blood: "knock a tomato can over, and red stuff spills out."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Ali in media and popular culture</span> Overview of the American boxer in media and popular culture

This article covers the boxer Muhammad Ali's appearances in media and popular culture.

Jeff Feuerzeig is an American film director and screenwriter best known for The Devil and Daniel Johnston, his profile of cult musician and outsider artist Daniel Johnston, for which he was awarded the Directing prize for Documentary at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and which was released theatrically in March 2006 by Sony Pictures Classics.

<i>Creed</i> (film) 2015 American boxing film directed by Ryan Coogler

Creed is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Aaron Covington. It is the first spin-off of and is the seventh installment in the Rocky film series. It stars Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew, and Graham McTavish. In the film, amateur boxer Adonis Creed (Jordan) is trained and mentored by Rocky Balboa (Stallone), the former rival turned friend of Adonis' father, Apollo Creed.

<i>Creed II</i> 2018 American sports drama film

Creed II is a 2018 American sports drama film directed by Steven Caple Jr. from a screenplay by Juel Taylor and Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to Creed (2015) and the eighth installment in the Rocky film series. It stars Michael B. Jordan, Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, Florian Munteanu, and Dolph Lundgren. In the film, under the continued tutelage of Rocky Balboa (Stallone), Adonis Creed (Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Munteanu), the son of Ivan Drago (Lundgren), who became responsible for the death of Adonis' father Apollo Creed in Rocky IV (1985).

Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner fought in a boxing match on March 24, 1975, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield Township, Summit County, Ohio.

<i>The Brawler</i> 2019 American film

The Brawler is a 2019 American biographical film directed by Ken Kushner and starring Zach McGowan as Chuck Wepner. The film also stars Amy Smart and Taryn Manning.

Anthony Perez was an American boxing referee and judge of Puerto Rican descent. During his career, he refereed many major boxing fights and participated in a number of boxing related documentaries.

References

  1. ↑ "Chuck (2016)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 7, 2015). "'Ray Donovan's Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts To Star In Chuck Wepner Underdog Ring Saga 'The Bleeder'". deadline.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Hipes, Patrick (October 22, 2015). "Elisabeth Moss Joins 'The Bleeder's Corner With Schreiber & Watts". deadline.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Pedersen, Erik (October 30, 2015). "'The Bleeder' Coagulates Cast With Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport, Pooch Hall & Morgan Spector". deadline.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 11, 2015). "Ron Perlman Joins 'The Bleeder'". deadline.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  6. 1 2 Lodderhose, Diana (May 10, 2011). "Watts, Schreiber to star in 'Bleeder'". variety.com. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ A. Lincoln, Ross (November 11, 2015). "'Headshot' Global Rights Nabbed By Nikkatsu, Vertical & XYZ; Remstar Lands Canadian Rights To 'The Bleeder' – AFM". deadline.com. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  8. ↑ "On the Set for 10/30/15: Keanu Reeves Starts on John Wick Sequel, Seth Rogen and Zac Efron Wrap Up Neighbors 2". ssninsider.com. October 30, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-11-01. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ "First look at Liev Schreiber and Elisabeth Moss on the set of 'The Bleeder'". onlocationvacations.com. October 31, 2015. Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ "On the Set for 12/4/15: Gal Gadot Grabs Her Lasso for 'Wonder Woman', Brad Pitt Wraps 'War Machine', 'Resident Evil' Team Finish Final Chapter". SSN Insider. December 4, 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-06-10. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  11. ↑ Ritman, Alex (July 28, 2016). "Venice Film Festival Unveils Lineup for 73rd Edition". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  12. ↑ "The Bleeder". Venice Film Festival . Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  13. ↑ "The Bleeder". Toronto International Film Festival . Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  14. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 14, 2016). "IFC & Showtime KO Deal For Liev Schreiber-Starrer 'The Bleeder' – Toronto". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  15. ↑ Cox, Gordon (March 8, 2017). "Emma Watson and Tom Hanks' 'The Circle' to Premiere at 2017 Tribeca Film Festival". Variety . Retrieved March 9, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Chuck". IFC Films . Retrieved March 9, 2017.
  17. ↑ "The Bleeder (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  18. ↑ "The Bleeder reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  19. ↑ Kenny, Glenn (3 May 2017). "Review: Inside the Ring With 'Chuck,' the Real-Life Rocky". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-06-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.