Outsider

Chuck Wepner is not my idea of a recommendable character but CHUCK, the film, manages to keep a steady, neutral position, and not make any judgments about his nature. It just shows Wepner as someone easily impressionable and immature, but who, in the ring, is determined to go the distance, come hell or Muhammad Ali.

Clearly, his marriage to Phyllis was an error and having a daughter even more so because Wepner was completely absorbed in his boxing exploits, his side jobs, his sexual conquests and, ultimately, his identification with the tragic role played by Anthony Quinn in REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, to the point of knowing his lines off by heart and feeling that he shares something with that unfortunate soul; and his fascination with the film, ROCKY, and its central character and rising movie star Sylvester Stallone, to the point of celebrating that film's Best Picture and Best Director awards as if they were his own, and of almost making Balboa his alter ego, all reflect his scattered personality and weakness of purpose.

That fascination with a celluloid, larger than life, hero also causes him to jump the boundaries of safe life into the dangers of drug addiction. I find the film brutally honest about that and about his break-up with his wife, played with considerable aplomb and force by Elisabeth Moss, as someone who refuses to be duped by the fake world of boxing, movies, and other illusions entertained by Wepner.

The scene where Schreiber (Wepner) goes to his daughter's school and completely misses the plot, partly because he is under the influence of drugs, is a classic in its simplicity, truth, and quality of acting by all involved.

Wepner's honesty about his boxing limitations is a point in his favor, and one that allows the viewer to develop some sympathy for the man.

I also found the Wepner-Stallone relationship very effectively and succinctly observed. Clearly, in real life Stallone is not the good guy that Balboa was. Stallone did nothing to assist Wepner, with bail for instance, when he was tried and jailed for drug possession. And yet Stallone used Wepner as the source for his script of ROCKY, earning considerable fortune and fame as a result. The scene where Stallone is doing press ups in the jail facility where Wepner is an inmate, all to do with ROCKY III and Balboa's descent from grace and into jail, is also very effectively put across, with not a frame too many.

Wepner's friend, John Stahl, clearly was not a good influence, and did not mind riding his pal's wave of fame, womanizing, drug taking, and so forth, but never there when really needed, with any really helpful contribution. He comes across as a party parasite with a sense of humor, and reminds you of just how dangerous such friendships can be.

There are, however, characters who restore hope in mankind: Phyllis is a really good and caring wife, someone whose honesty and real love for Wepner allow her to see that their relationship cannot go on, and has the courage to break it off; Linda, Wepner's second wife, is more detached but has the right values. And Wepner earns our respect for seeing Stallone for what he is.

Best of all, Wepner's brother, Donny, who steps in to help his undeserving brother. He complains bitterly about Wepner's selfishness, but you wish everyone were as honest and caring, and this would be a far better world.

Falardeau's direction is assured and extremely competent. No fancy camera work, good use of boxing footage from the time, and he extracts credible and keenly felt performances from the entire cast. Schreiber is very good, Moss superlative, Watts in an unusually self-effacing role that serves her well -- but it is the actor (I do not know his name) who plays the small role of Donny, Wepner's brother, that really stays with me for the sheer honesty and naturalism of his acting.

Competent script, too, keeping as close to real life as possible. Unfortunately, the source material would never permit the kind of emotional uplift that could have rendered CHUCK a masterpiece in the restricted niche of sports-related movies - but it is definitely worth watching.

This is a really good film. It's based on the true story that inspired Sylvester Stallone's Rocky movie. It has everything you want, every single actor is perfect in every way. I didn't know who was in it when I started watching and the well known actors revealed along the way sometimes took a minute or two before you knew who they were. Every single frame of this was well done. Highly recommended for folks who like paced movies about extraordinary 'normal' people. Lots of reunioning big and small screen actors came together to make this.

Well here's the thing, the movie is good and interesting. Started out very well, with a great vibe just like most things. It has a lesson to teach about life's ups and downs. It's funny and doesn't get too boring to watch. The way they combined the story of the real guy and the acting was wonderful that you find it hard to believe that is was acting and not real. Very nice movie, but just one problem for me is the lead character, he's kind of conflicted. He appears as a reticent guy but very talkative.

Greetings again from the darkness. "That guy could take a punch." It's supposed to be a compliment and knowing nod to the machismo and toughness so valued in the world of boxing. Instead that trait is responsible for the two claims to fame for heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner: he shockingly went 15 rounds (minus 17 seconds) against Muhammad Ali in 1975, and was the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's Oscar winning movie Rocky.

Director Philippe Falardeau (Monsieur Lazhar) and the four co-writers (Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl, Michael Cristopher, Liev Schreiber) spend very little time in the boxing ring or with the usual training montages, and instead focus on how Wepner's ego and inability to handle fame affected his family, his health and his life. This is a portrait of Chuck the man, and it's at times more painful than the barrage of punches Ali landed in Round 15.

Liev Schreiber is outstanding as 'The Bayonne Bleeder', the disparaging (but accurate) sobriquet that stuck with Wepner – thanks to his propensity to bleed in most bouts. His self-motivation to "Stay up Chuck" against Ali (played here by Schreiber's "Ray Donovan" brother Pooch Hall) is what became the foundation for Stallone's Rocky screenplay. There are a few terrific scenes with Wepner and Stallone (a spot on Morgan Spector) as Wepner desperately tries to latch onto the Rocky bandwagon, going so far as to introduce himself as "the real Rocky". It's tough for an actor to get Oscar consideration for a performance in the first half of the year, but Schreiber is worthy.

It's not the first time we have seen the pitfalls of instant fame and celebrity status, and even though it's a true story, there is a familiarity to it that makes the plight of this lovable lug quite easy to relate to. Wepner's blue collar narcissism may have been the cause of much of the pain in his life, but it also allowed him to become a folk hero. His connection with Anthony Quinn in Requiem for a Heavyweight provides all the personality profile we require to grasp Wepner's make-up.

The supporting cast is strong. Ron Perlman plays Wepner's manager/trainer Al Braverman, Jim Gaffigan is his hero-worshiping corner man and cocaine accomplice, Elisabeth Moss plays wrongly-done first wife Phyllis, Michael Rappaport is estranged brother John, and Naomi Watts (she and Schreiber ended their long-term relationship soon after filming) as his confidant and second wife Linda. Moss and Rappaport each have very strong scenes … scenes that remind us that these are real people and not part of some fairy tale.

Director Falardeau delivers no shortage of 1970's cheese – wardrobe, facial hair, disco music, party drugs, and night clubs – but there is also enough humor to maintain balance: Wepner explains after the Ali fight how he tried to "wear him down with my face". By the end we aren't sure if Wepner was self-destructive or simply lacking in dependable counsel. Either way, the journey of self-discovery is even more interesting than the boxing career, and the film is punctuated with closing credit footage that provides viewers with a sense of relief. A tragic ending has been averted, and Chuck remains a local Bayonne, New Jersey resident – even if he's no longer a bleeder.

"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.