Cast: Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber and Elisabeth Moss

I’ve been following this one for a while. Rocky is one of my favourite films of all time and when I heard Chuck Wepner’s story was being told by Canadian director Philippe Falardeau and Liev Schreiber was playing the role of Chuck Wepner, I was in.

This wasn’t the best movie at the festival, but it was an enjoyable one. It was a fun film and the performances were solid.  Chuck Wepner is a lovable guy, and this film is very nostalgic taking us back to a time in the 70s some of us remember fondly. Perhaps a bit macho at times, but strong female characters balance this story out. I loved the raw gritty realism of the time.  It’s what I remember as a kid. From the horrible wallpaper in the kitchen to the loud and over patterned polyester outfits, this film did not sugar coat this pretty ugly period in fashion history.

This screening’s Q&A was most memorable, with Chuck taking over the microphone for a good length of time.  Humble, yet not, he’s still a charactor.  He seems to be a lovable force.

The soundtrack is great. I’ll probably watch this again some day.  And let’s get some more good roles for these three superb actors.