Rated
PG-13 (Sports Action Violence, Sexual Content and Language)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 53 Minutes
Cast-
Sylvester
Stallone-Henry 'Razor' Sharp
Robert
De Niro-Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen
Kim
Basinger-Sally
Jon
Bernthal-B.J.
Kevin
Hart-Dante Slate, Jr.
Alan
Arkin-Louis 'Lightning' Conlon
Jason
Todd Smith/LL Cool J-Frankie Brite
Camden
Gray-Trey
Joey
Coco Diaz-Mikey
Anthony
Anderson-Mr. Sandpaper Hands
Directed
by Peter Segal
 |
| Let's get ready to rumble... |
Note: Screened on Monday, December 16, 2013 at the Ziegfeld Theatre (Red Carpet Premiere).
Sylvester
Stallone's Rocky Balboa and Robert De Niro's Jake LaMotta are two of the most
iconic pugilists in American cinema, and now they're finally going head-to-head
in Peter Segal's latest film "Grudge Match." Yes, I'm well aware that
1976's "Rocky" and 1980's "Raging Bull" have absolutely nothing
to do with each other (with the exception of the main characters who just happen
to share the same profession) but that hasn't stopped Warner Brothers from bringing
this boxing fanfic to the big screen. You can't get any more self-referential
than this: two actors looking to sustain their fading careers play older
versions of fictitious characters that once earned them critical acclaim back
in their prime, except these older versions are ultimately just fictitious derivatives
of those same fictitious characters. Yea, try wrapping your head around that confusing
meta-paradox. The whole premise, combined with its stunt-casting, is obviously a
gimmick that can only come from the head of a studio executive who mistakenly believes
he's the cleverest person in the room. That being said, however, Segal's film
is still worth checking out, if only for curiosity's sake. With its clichéd
script, limp drama, and weak humor, the only saving grace in "Grudge Match"
is the presence of Stallone and De Niro, with the two aging stars bringing an
emotional honesty to their respective roles in what would've been a middling
film.
In
the 1980s, there was no fiercer rivalry in the boxing world than the one between
Pittsburgh natives Henry 'Razor' Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy 'The Kid'
McDonnen (Robert De Niro). Razor and Kid fought two matches in 1982 with split
results but before the two fighters can engage in their third bout that will decide
who is better, Razor abruptly announces his retirement from the ring. Thirty years
later, Razor is struggling to make ends meet as a blue-collar factory worker
while also caring for his former boxing trainer Louis 'Lightning' Conlon (Alan
Arkin). Meanwhile, Kid uses his fame to become a successful entrepreneur, owning
both a car dealership and a bar named after him. One day, Dante Slate, Jr. (Kevin
Hart), the son of the promoter who made money off the two fighters, approaches Razor
and Kid about an opportunity with a big payday. Each would come in at separate
times to provide motion-capture work for a boxing video game that would allow gamers
to finally play out the final bout themselves. Razor wants nothing to do with
it at first but he reluctantly agrees in order to take care of Lightning's nursing
home bills. Unfortunately, Kid, who's still holding a grudge, arrives at the same
time as Razor and the two immediately get into a fight, which is caught on video
and immediately goes viral on YouTube. Taking advantage of their newfound fame,
Dante manages to convince the two former boxers to agree to a long-awaited rematch.
Dubbing the event with the ludicrous name 'Grudgement Day,' the upcoming fight quickly
captures the attention of the entire nation. The ensuing media frenzy prompts Sally
(Kim Basinger) to rekindle her romance with Razor while Kid reunites with his
estranged son B.J. (Jon Bernthal). Given the opportunity to finally even the
score, Razor and Kid struggle with their age as they train for their thirty-years-in-the-making
rematch on the boxing ring.
The
Italian Stallion versus the Raging Bull: that's essentially "Grudge Match"
in a nutshell. The script from Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman is predictable
to a fault but thanks to its gimmicky premise and blatantly meta-stunt casting,
the film manages to pull itself out of mediocrity through sheer force of will.
Don't get me wrong; Segal's latest definitely has its fair share of problems
yet there's no denying the appeal of seeing two cinematic boxing legends finally
face-off in a no-holds-barred bout in the ring. Stallone and De Niro, age 67 and
70, may be way past their prime but they can still knock your teeth out with
one punch. Whether they can actually throw a second or third punch remains to be
seen.
Using
footage from "Rocky" and "Raging Bull" to recreate the
first two fights between Razor and Kid, the opening scenes of the film doesn't
exactly make the best first impression, with unconvincing body doubles and laughable
CG to de-age the two lead actors. Given that the biggest draw in "Grudge Match"
is the sight of Stallone and De Niro duking it out on the boxing ring, the film
sure takes it sweet time getting to that point. The running time clocks in at a
reasonable 1 hour and 53 minutes but it still feels slightly protracted, partly
due to the hackneyed drama, which revolves around a personal wrong that Kid
committed against Razor shortly after their second bout, putting the story on
the side of Stallone's character from the very beginning. This 'personal wrong'
led to Razor's sudden retirement and it isn't too hard to guess what it is, especially
once Sally and B.J. enter the picture. Considering the film's subject matter, Segal
couldn't resist placing some obvious nods to "Rocky" and "Raging
Bull," with Razor about to punch the meat carcasses hanging in a butcher's
freezer before Lightning stops him and a drunken Kid doing a stand-up comedy routine.
Fortunately, the director avoids overdoing these overt references, keeping the
film from becoming a parody. There are some laughs to be had, largely coming
from Lightning's curmudgeonly demeanor being pitted against Dante's loud, fast-talking
personality. However, most of the comedy rely a little too much on old-man slapstick,
with 'because they're old!' serving as the punch line once again. The anticipated
rematch at the end won't become the stuff of cinematic legend but it's surprisingly
brutal and realistic, at least for a PG-13 picture. No, Stallone and De Niro are
far from being at their physical best, but 'it's the best we got.'
The
performances are pretty good for what is essentially a lightweight sports picture.
In spite of the script being riddled with clichés, Stallone and De Niro invest
in their roles with emotional credibility, grounding the picture in the midst
of some outlandish set-pieces (like skydiving onto a Target parking lot). No
one will mistake it for nuance but Stallone brings a nice sense of gravitas to Razor,
finding the old boxer forced back into the ring in order to make ends meet and
care for his former trainer. He is initially shown as a reluctant participant
but comes to realize that he doesn't want to walk away not knowing whether he
can beat Kid at his best. Razor has every reason to hate him but he owes his
opponent at least that much. De Niro,
who's been phoning in a lot of his performances recently, seems to be enjoying
himself as Kid, who is basically a loudmouth riff on Jake LaMotta. However,
there's also a sense of desperation to his character. Kid knows he's old and he
gladly leaps at the opportunity for a rematch because it might be his only
chance to do so. Although the script positions him in an antagonist light, Kid is
not an outright villain, just a man with too many regrets. Kim Basinger, looking
ravishing at sixty, isn't given much to do, with her character suffering from
being underwritten while Jon Bernthal is solid if unremarkable. Alan Arkin and Kevin
Hart make for a funny pair on-screen, even if the laughs are cheap.
Released
on December 25, 2013, "Grudge Match" has received overwhelmingly
negative reviews with 23% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics called it 'sporadically
funny but meandering, [with] its strong cast largely mired in a plot that's
overrun with clichés.' The sight of seeing Rocky Balboa finally going
head-to-head with Jake LaMotta will hold some appeal, although younger audiences
who aren't familiar with Stallone and De Niro's filmographies will likely come
away confused. Despite the competition it has to deal with, the film should
easily break even since its production budget is only a modest $40 million. "Grudge
Match" obviously doesn't hold a candle to "Rocky" and "Raging
Bull" (it's not even in the same league for that matter) but Segal knows
exactly what type of film he's making. He allows the gimmicky premise and his
two leads to carry the picture through its formulaic story, and while the end
result is definitely no classic, it still makes for some breezy, late-holiday
entertainment.
Final
Rating: 3 out of 5
"The
whole world's laughing at us! But we're not dead! In fact, I feel more alive
now than I ever felt!"
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