I watched this at home on DVD from y public library. I am only a few years younger than Chuck Wepner, I vaguely remember him in his prize fighting exploits in the 1970s. I mostly remember George Foreman and Cassius Clay, who later became Muhammad Ali. But Wepner was right in there for a while, although never in their league.This movie is about Chuck Wepner who came up in the working class life of New Jersey. He was a big guy and had a reputation for (1) being able to take punches and (2) bleeding a lot. He was the heavyweight champion of New Jersey and really had no greater ambition. Until Don King called Wepner's manager to set of a fight with Ali.Liev Schreiber at 6' 3" is the right size and really good as Chuck Wepner, a real selfish jerk who treated his wife and others badly. But his big claim to fame is Stallone's "Rocky" was inspired by Wepner's exploits in the ring. Wepner got no money for it but was offered a role in one of the "Rocky" movies but, having turned to sniffing cocaine, was unable to handle the small role.Wepner did serve time in prison for drug sales, he ostensibly learned a lesson and became a better man. The movie itself is well made but Chuck Wepner is not that interesting a person.Of note, Naomi Watts has a role, as Linda, who Wepner apparently ended up with. In real life Schreiber and Watts were once engaged and they in fact have two children together even though they never married and are now apart. Interesting development!

Chuck Wepner, the "Bayonne Bleeder," he was the pride of Bayonne, New Jersey, a man who went fifteen rounds in the ring with Muhammad Ali, and the real life inspiration for Rocky Balboa. But before all that, Chuck Wepner was a liquor salesman and father with a modest prizefighting career whose life changed overnight when, in 1975, he was chosen to take on The Greatest in a highly publicized title match. It's the beginning of a wild ride through the exhilarating highs and humbling lows of sudden fame-but what happens when your fifteen minutes in the spotlight are up? The Bleeder is another boxing failure where good actors careers go and die, the movie is full of boxing clichés, the acting isn't particularly and not every story needs it's own film especially box. Seriously stop it Hollywood you can't make another Rocky in fact i don't buy what this film is selling me and especially the fact that Chuck is kind of prick that tries to suck the fame of Rocky and even uses the theme song at one point to achieve his goal on staying on top he wasn't a good fighter and this wasn't a good film either.

The date is March 23, 1975. The place is the old Cleveland Colosseum arena. The big event is a humdrum boxing tuneup for Muhammad Ali after his stunning defeat of George Foreman in Zaire. The patsy, who was expected to be dispatched by Ali in three rounds, is the "Bayonne Bleeder," Chuck Wepner. It turns out that Wepner will be remembered for one moment in the ninth round when he surprising sent Ali to the canvas on the seat of his pants. One of the film's themes is that Wepner is the prototype of Rocky Balboa. But was the life depicted in the film a match with the screen icon conceived by Sylvester Stallone? It is not clear that Stallone was inspired by Wepner for the Rocky films. Indeed, the screenplay for "Chuck" makes it clear that that the classic Anthony Quinn film "Requiem for a Heavyweight" has all of the elements of "Rocky." More to the point, the characterization of Wepner in "Chuck" bears little resemblance to the character of Rocky Balboa. In one defining moment in the film, Wepner lies to a young woman that he was paid $70,000 by Stallone for the rights to tell his story. When caught in the lie, Wepner tells his best friend that he didn't want to look like a "chump" in the eyes of the young woman. Throughout the film, we see a profile of a chump more than a champ.The film was especially successful in the screen writing. The dialogue was lively, especially in the characterization of Wepner's feisty wife Phyllis (Elizabeth Moss). Wepner, as performed effectively with a hangdog look by Liev Schreiber, is portrayed on a downward spiral with his horrendous life decisions that earns him twenty-six months in the Northern State Prison of Newark as a drug dealer.The cinematography of "Chuck" was successful in evoking the 1970s through a sepia glaze. The film actually had the look and feel of "Rocky." And Schreiber, who contributed to the screenplay, courageously portrayed a character who was not very likable. Instead of having the eye of the tiger, the Chuck Wepner in this film had the blood-shot eye of the Bayonne Bleeder. In the end, Schreiber leaves us with an unforgettable portrait of a journeyman boxer and a failed pursuit of the American Dream.

Chuck is a boxer from jersey who could take a hit. He had a job running liquor and had a beautiful wife and kid, when his manager sets up a match with The Greatest, Ali. He lost the match, but was able to put Ali on his bottom twice and go all 15 rounds losing with 19 seconds left in the match, and when he lost the first person he wanted to see was his wife. That sounds like Rocky alright. Unfortunately, Chuck's sequel was not as good as Rocky 2 cause when he went back to some world in Jersey he let it all get to his head and his world came crashing down, which included his attempts to convince the world that the movie Rocky is about him.It's one of those stories about how fame can change you. I've seen it done a million times in a million sitcoms that one episode when one character gets his 15 mins acts like a jerk to all those who love him but then they take him back when he falls because they love him.But it's not just about the story. Liev Schreiber was very entertaining in this film as Chuck Wepner and Jim Gaffigan was perfect as his best friend, John. I don't know how many movies Schreiber has done with his partner, Naomi Watts. It's bit awkward now that they are not a couple, but she's great in the movie as well.But I did not like Schreiber's co-star on Ray Donovan, Pooch Hall as Muhammad Ali. It was a small role, but still, it's Ali, I wish they did better.Definitely a cool funny story and a movie worth seeing that I'm surprise Stallone himself did not have any involvement in. It's technically a Rocky film and nobody likes to milk Rocky more than him, right?