Grudge Match

Like so many other people my first thought after seeing the trailer was: "WHY are they doing it? This will be pathetic!". Our family still went to see this movie on the opening day - and me, my wife, and the kids aged 10 and 14 all had a lot of fun watching it. Yes, it had some cheesy lines and less than perfect moments but I would never call it pathetic. I liked it so much that I registered on IMDb to write my first review. The movie actually answers the "why" question - and somehow this answer is the best way to describe how the film makes you feel. Yes, De Niro and Stallone fully realize that they are way past their prime and will never make anything comparable to "Raging Bull" or original "Rocky". They just do not make the drama out of it, do not take themselves too seriously and do not see the roles that made them famous as some sacred ground that can't be touched. They just want to have some fun while they are alive - and may be help others have fun as well. Not a bad way to feel about getting older!

Sylvester Stallone must really love boxing. After returning to the Rocky films this past decade, he once again enters the ring in Grudge Match. But the smart thing here is that he's kind of poking fun at himself. Instead of trying to play a younger boxer which wouldn't be realistic anymore at his age, he plays a retired boxer who really is old this time around.

The story focuses on a rivalry between two boxers who fought each other a couple of times 30 years ago, winning one fight apiece. Naturally, that situation calls for a "rubber match" to decide the true winner. But it never happened. Hostility remains between the two guys 3 decades later though. Stallone plays Henry "Razor" Sharp and Robert De Niro plays Billy "The Kid" McDonnen. When the two both arrive on set for a computer-simulated video game that will use their likenesses, they engage in a physical altercation which soon goes viral for all the world to see. This prompts a desire to see the two of them in the ring together once again.

Kevin Hart plays the loud-mouth promoter who puts the fight on. He plays the same type of character he always plays, but still very funny nonetheless. The same goes for a funny Alan Arkin as Stallone's trainer who also plays the same type of character that he always does. So there's nothing truly unique about the movie, but it doesn't take itself too seriously and that's kind of a good thing. It focuses on the funny for the most part, but also adds some depth to the characters when it shows the struggles they're having in their personal lives. That's part of the reason they agree to do the fight... along with a genuine grudge the two still have between each other after all these years. Some of the jokes can be lame at times, but there are some good zingers here and there when seeing the two old guys poke fun at each other. And the fight at the end of the film is done well and worth waiting for.

'Grudge Match' is a pleasant surprise. A highly entertaining sports-comedy, that is also rich in emotions & performances. It's All Good Fun!

'Grudge Match' Synopsis: A pair of aging boxing rivals are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout -- 30 years after their last match.

'Grudge Match' works because the Screenplay Written by Doug Ellin, Tim Kelleher & Rodney Rothman, is thoroughly enjoyable! The rivalry between the boxing legends, has depth & a strong under-current of emotions. 'Grudge Match' is not only about boxing, it's also about love, relationships & redemption. It's about the battles we face outside the ring.

Peter Segal's Direction deserves distinction marks. Cinematography is vast. Editing is sharp. Make-Up is well-done.

Performance-Wise: Stallone & De Niro are a joy to watch, as always. I mean it's Rocky versus Raging Bull, it clearly couldn't get better! Kim Basinger adds tremendous weight to her character. Alan Arkin is outstanding. The Acting Legend is in top-form! Kevin Hart is first-rate. Jon Bernthal is perfect.

On the whole, 'Grudge Match' is a winner. Thumbs Up!

What a refreshing and unexpected (but nice) surprise Grudge Match was for the wife and I to sit down on a Saturday night, plop the Blu Ray disc in and for the next 2 hours, just enjoy a decent film minus any drugs, knife fights, or guns a blazing. When you have two major action stars such as Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone one might expect that the testosterone level on the big screen would get a bit heavy especially considering the movies theme is about two old and retired fighters who come out of retirement after 30 years to put the gloves back on and get back in to the ring to settle a very old score since both fighters won one of their two previous matches while in their prime back in the 1980's.

Robert DeNiro plays Billy "The Kid" McDonnen. Now Billy has a very big ego and since his boxing career ended prematurely 30 years ago he has done pretty good for himself owning his own car dealership and a successful bar called the Knockout. There is one scene in the film that I just grinned from ear to ear as Billy did a stand-up comedy routine in his bar with a puppet dressed as a prize fighter sitting in his corner as Billy bantered back and forth with the prize fighter dummy. The scene is less than a minute long but I give it full credit for the originality.

Sylvester Stallone plays Henry "Razor" Sharp. Now Razor was the guy who decided to hang up his gloves in the prime of his fighting career and we eventually find out why he retired. No spoiler alert, you will have to wait and hear it from Razor himself why he chose to retire from the ring. Razor's life has been kind of frozen in time these past 30 years, and he now works as a laborer in a factory, goes home to an empty house with no TV, cable or internet, and eats canned tuna and over ripened bananas to make ends meet. Razors life seems very depressing. Something is bothering him and the audience gets interested in finding out what makes Razor tick. I would have thought a boxing genre film would have been easier to figure out but the screenwriters did a good job in keeping the plot a bit deeper than most boxing films and we gradually grow to like Razor's character and think less of Billy the Kid's shallow and selfish personality.

There is also a good supporting cast of characters such as Kevin Hart who plays fight promoter Dante Slate Jr.. Dante's deceased father used to promote Razor's fights and Razors' memories of Dante Slate Sr. are not very good as he recalls being ripped off of his prize fight earnings. So Razor instantly is not prepared to go back in to the ring with Dante Slate Jr. holding the purse strings. Eventually Dante convinces Razor to put the gloves back on, but only for a fight simulation video for a software video company who agrees to pay him $15K. The movie is worth watching if for nothing else but seeing Stallone and De Niro dressed up in their head to toe lime green leotards game gear costumes so the techies can video their fight simulation. Did I say fight simulation? Well once Billy and Razor are within ring distance of each other the brouhaha goes viral on the internet and "the fight is on man!" We eventually get introduced to Kim Basinger's character Sally, who plays Razor's old love interest. Something happened to split Razor and Sally apart 30 years ago and we find out why Razor is a bit disenchanted with his life. When Razor eventually does agree to fight Billy for the grudge match of the decade he asks his old and trusted trainer Louis Lightning Conlon, played by veteran actor Alan Arkin. Louis is currently in a wheelchair and residing in an old age home, but Razor still wants his old and trusted friend Louis to get him back in to fighting shape. Razor is an honorable man and true friend as part of his income is used to pay for his friends nursing home costs.

There are a couple of scenes that remind us in a fun way of Stallone's Rocky films that just add to the films humorous theme. Billy on the other hand goes through a few trainers including LL Cool J who plays Frankie Brite, and Billy eventually settles on having his long lost son BJ played smartly by Jon Bernthal to train him.

Before you know it, we are witness to the fight of the decade in front of 18,000 fight fans split between who they want to win the fight. Most film goers always have their own prediction on who will win the main event. Will Razor win? Will Billy the Kid win? Or maybe it will be a draw? As I said no spoiler alert coming from me, so let's just say the ending is a good one. No, let me rephrase this..., I would say the ending is even better than I anticipated it would be. I Give Grudge match an 8 out of 10 ranking for the 10 rounds that Grudge Match went. Watch it and you will not be disappointed. It's a knockout hit.

Grudge Match is the story of two well-aged retired boxers, who happen to hate each other for varying reasons, who get talked into fighting the rematch that was supposed to happen 30 years prior. I don't think I'm alone in saying that there were some seriously low expectations going into this one, but I must say, there are MANY redeeming qualities about this movie that made it a great watch. The first thing that stands out to me is probably the first thing on everyone's mind - Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro combine to be about 320 years old. Why do we want to watch them fight??? Well, the movie is completely aware of your question, and answers you with this: Because it's FUN. The movie never shies away from how old they are, and plays on it for MANY fun moments. (On Stallone's end, they make more than a couple indirect references to the Rocky movies, with great effect.) The next thing that stands out? SOLID ACTING. The cast as a whole could have easily phoned this one in, relying on name-power so sell some tickets, but everyone seemed to be all-in with their characters, and give us scene after scene of good comedic interactions. Kevin Hart gives us some great moments, Stallone and DeNiro shine when sharing scenes, Alan Arkin is a pleasure to watch, Kim Basinger is still a fox, and - I'm just going to put this out there - Jon Bernthal is a future star, and he absolutely nails his role. (And the guest appearance of the UFC's Chael Sonnen was some sweet icing on the cake...the camera loves that guy...lol) It's not all perfect - it runs a bit too long (nearly 2 hours), and it does get pretty cheesy towards the end - but Grudge Match is a fun ride overall. If you're a boxing fan, boxing-movie fan, comedy fan, or a fan of anyone in this movie, don't miss it. Grudge Match scores a 3.5 out of 5 on the BDBOS. STAY THROUGH THE CREDITS!!! There's a couple of bonus scenes you'll want to catch. ...I've got the strangest craving for some butterscotch jellybeans...lol