What an amazing character study into the mind of a person suffering from delusions on another level. There is no protagonist or antagonist in this movie. There are no villains or heroes. There’s not even a central plot. There is only De Niro playing a broken fighter who lets the best of him turn into the worst of him. He is flawed, untamed, and powerful. Whatever rage this character does show is always unfiltered, regardless of the circumstances. While De Niro’s performance is great by itself, it’s elevated by Joe Pesci, who provides an amazing dynamic as the boxer’s manager and brother. All in all, this is a master class in method acting and so much more than a sports drama.