As Joyce Carol Oates astutely observed, boxing is more about getting hit than hitting, more about feeling pain than experiencing victory. Former German Super Middleweight Champion Jürgen “The Rock” Hartenstein’s journey back to the ring is Oates’ words made manifest.

Nearly a decade after winning the German national title and two years after he last stepped into the squared circle, Hartenstein attempts to resurrect his boxing career at 35—an age when many boxers consider retirement. Assisted by his trainer Markus Kone but without sponsorship, an agent, a gym or scheduled bouts, Hartenstein trains when and where he can.

Quiet and persistent, Hartenstein evinces charismatic intensity that comes through on film. He personally calls promoters as he tries to get a bout in the United States, politely asking for a chance to prove himself. In COMEBACK, this tough journeyman of a boxer is portrayed in all his humanity and vulnerability. Hartenstein shows no desperation, but makes plain his yearning for a second chance.

Filmmaker Max Plettau followed Hartenstein for a year to document his attempt to return to the ring. Plettau’s film is notable for both its visual beauty and its emotional power. As understated as the man at its center, COMEBACK portrays a man with the heart of a champion, who needs no title fights or division belts to prove it.

—D.B. Garland