Andrew Oliver’s new movie Paperweight, which dropped September 5 on Prime Video, asks a easy but fascinating query: what would occur if you happen to took a median man off the road and put him within the octagon?
Written by and starring Oliver himself, the film locations the recording artist contained in the world {of professional} MMA, pitting him in opposition to seasoned fighters in an experiment of endurance, work ethic, and uncooked dedication.
The movie attracts inspiration from journalist George Plimpton’s bestselling 1966 guide, Paper Lion, which explores the NFL coaching camp of the Detroit Lions by putting a median particular person into professional sports activities.
Paperweight trades soccer for preventing. With appearances from UFC names like Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Westin Wilson, the movie wastes no time immersing viewers within the punishing grind of fight sports activities. From brutal ice baths and acupuncture classes to sprints and sparring, Oliver provides audiences the uncut actuality: the enjoyable, the hazard, the frustration, and the fleeting moments of triumph in addition to defeat.
What makes Paperweight stand out is the way it showcases Oliver’s uncooked experiences. The journey proves inspiring — not as a result of he expects to outperform seasonal professionals, however as a result of he reveals that odd folks have untapped potential in locations they might by no means check. At its core, the movie turns into a examine of labor ethic: what are you prepared to endure if given the chance to push previous your limits?
After six weeks of grueling coaching with Wilson, the movie follows Oliver’s journey that culminates in a closing showdown with Thompson.
Paperweight is probably not polished within the conventional sense, however that’s its power. The uncooked fashion makes the movie really feel much less like a sports activities documentary and extra like a private reckoning with worry, ambition, and resilience. It’s an inspiring piece that blurs the road between efficiency and actuality — proving that generally, the journey itself is the reward. Greater than only a story about MMA, Paperweight is a narrative about being human, and what occurs once you dare to check your personal limits.
