ESPN Films the Real Rocky: Chuck Wepner's Story Won't Leave You Feeling Well

When you think of the “Rocky” films, the first thing that comes to mind is the uplifting moment at the end of the first movie, when Rocky hugs Adrian after going 15 rounds with Apollo Creed. If you are looking for that kind of moment in the latest ESPN film “The Real Rocky,” you will likely be disappointed.

Chuck Wepner, the former boxer who inspired Sylvester Stallone to create the “Rocky” character, is front and center in the film. But it is not so much a look at his shocking 15-round battle with Muhammad Ali as it is a portrait of a man with a lot of skeletons in his closet.

In a preview, written by Greg Braxton of the Los Angeles Times, it is abundantly clear that Wepner had a difficult time finding his place in life.

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Much of the “The Real Rocky” explores the tug of war over the origin of Balboa. Stallone initially touted the influence of Wepner's life when he created the fictional Rocky, then continually downplayed that contribution in subsequent years, eventually denying that Wepner had anything to do with the character. That denial eventually led to a lawsuit by Wepner against Stallone contending that Wepner deserved compensation from the screenwriteractor.

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It is a good thing that the film doesn’t try to pull any punches and make you feel all warm inside because that would be doing a disservice to Wepner and his story.

The best thing that ESPN’s films have done is they have all been fair to the subject that they are talking about, but they do not go out of their way to gloss over anything.

“Rocky” is one of the most iconic film characters of all-time, so to be able to learn about the origins of the character makes this film even more special.

Unlike Rocky Balboa, who was a good man down on his luck, Chuck Wepner is a man beaten up by life. He did not get the fame and glory that Sylvester Stallone’s character ever did, but at least now we get to hear his side of the story.

We might not always like what we see and hear in the film, but that does not mean we will be any less fascinated by Wepner’s life than we were by Rocky Balboa.