The Featherweight

James Madio (“Hook,” “The Basketball Diaries”)—a Bronx-born, now Ohio resident—gives a knockout performance in this biography of Willie Pep, a retired featherweight boxer out of Hartford, Connecticut whose glory days are behind him (a 220-10 record!). But now it’s 1964, money is tight, and it just might be time to un-retire. Featuring supporting performances from Stephen Lang and Ron Livingston.Willie Pep is one of the most famous featherweight boxers of all time, boasting a record of over 220 wins in his career. Blending biopic storytelling with the style of a documentary, THE FEATHERWEIGHT passionately recounts Willie’s story with absorbing immediacy. The film picks up with Willie post-retirement in the late 1940s, with his two world titles long behind him and his personal life in turmoil. But none of his fighter’s spirit is diminished by aging or life outside competing. Losing the support of his close circle, Willie aims to get back in the ring despite the odds stacking against his chances for a major comeback. —C.F.GUEST(S) IN ATTENDANCE