Liev Schreiber gives a great performance as Chuck Wepner. He actually makes Chuck look like a wayward but charming kid. 'The Bayonne Bleeder' so called because he easily got cut, managed to land a title shot with Muhammad Ali in 1975 as Ali wanted to fight a top white contender.

Wepner then found fame of sorts later as Sylvester Stallone supposedly based Rocky on Wepner. A nobody who lands a world title shot.

After the fight with Ali, Chuck's life spirals downwards with drugs, booze and partying. His wife (Elisabeth Moss) unhappy with his womanising finally has enough and leaves him. Chuck hits rock bottom when he is set up for a drug bust.

You get the feeling once the Ali fight is done with, the film is over. After that it really is Chuck acting stupid and immature. A story that applies to hundreds of boxers.

Director Philippe Falardeau gives this film a strong period setting, he also brings out good performances from the actors that includes Ron Perlman and Naomi Watts.

This is a biopic of the life of Chuck Wepner (Liev Schreiber). Chuck was the top ranked boxer in New Jersey when Don King needed a "white guy" for Ali (Pooch Hall) to fight. Chuck was the only top 10 white fighter at the time. He manged to go the distance in a defeat inspiring Stallone (Morgan Spector) to script "Rocky." The fight, which normally would be the climax of a film comes in at about 30 minutes as we follow the self destruction that ensues.

The film includes some historical clips. The film is more of a drama than a boxing flick. There is no musical training period for the fight and it only has ring highlights. Acting and accents were good.

Guide: F-word, sex, and nudity.

And when I say Rocky I do believe that most get that I am talking about the character Rocky that Sylvester Stallone portrayed. I have to admit that I was not too aware of the real life story behind the Rocky movie. I had heard a few things and read a few others, but this really shines a light on that man, that inspired Rocky.

But when I say shines a light on him, you won't get a Rocky reloaded or what really happened. You will get the (in)famous fight that was the main inspiration. But you will get way more than that, because that is just the kick off point for the movie. You will get the fallout from the movie and you will get the real guy and how he was. And how that affected those around him, directly and indrectly.

A period piece/drama, that relies heavily on the performances and what a great cast they assembled here. I was surprised to see many of the names. And then I saw Naomi Watts and thought I know her, what's her name again? Took me a second (make up, hairdo and so forth),but it came to me. Really well told, even if a bit slow paced for some I reckon