Grudge Match

Film & TV

Thursday January 30, 2014 Comments

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Stallone and De Niro duke it out for laughs as a pair of long-retired and ageing boxing rivals in Grudge Match. The film is a comedy that packs a slight emotional punch thanks to the agreeable nature of its leading characters as they settle a 30-year-old score.

When Henry “Razor” Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (Robert De Niro) come out of retirement to fight one final bout, in many ways it’s a formulaic Rocky meets Raging Bull tale, taking place three decades after both have quit the ring.

Nonetheless, Grudge Match is an enjoyable treat, with director Peter Segal keeping things light-hearted.

Razor, who has been laid off from a Pittsburgh steel works, and The Kid, who is a used car salesman and restaurateur, need this last chance at glory for different reasons.

In the 1980s both had been light-heavyweight champions, each taking the title from the other, but Razor surprisingly retired before a decisive re-match could be held. Why? A woman, of course – in this case, Sally, played admirably by Kim Basinger, who drifted out of Razor’s life into an affair with The Kid.

When the elderly pugilists meet, they fight in private and a video of their fracas inadvertently goes viral. In steps wannabe promoter Dante Slate Jr (Kevin Hart), and the long-talked-about significant contest is scheduled.

The story is amiable and a tad sentimental because, in the finale, both fighters predictably come out winners. But if it’s clichéd, good, jocular fun you want, then Grudge Match is a belter.

More InDaily film reviews:

The Wolf of Wall Street
Inside Llewyn Davis
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
The Book Thief
Saving Mr Banks
August: Orange County
Philomena
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
American Hustle

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<h1>Grudge Match</h1>

<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/stephen-davenport/" class="author">Stephen Davenport</a></address>
											
							Stallone and De Niro duke it out for laughs as a pair of long-retired and ageing boxing rivals in Grudge Match.  The film is a comedy that packs a slight emotional punch thanks to the agreeable nature of its leading characters as they settle a 30-year-old score.
When Henry “Razor” Sharp (Sylvester Stallone)  and Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (Robert De Niro) come out of retirement to fight one final bout, in many ways it’s a formulaic Rocky meets Raging Bull tale, taking place three decades after both have quit the ring.
Nonetheless, Grudge Match is an enjoyable treat, with director Peter Segal keeping things light-hearted.
Razor, who has been laid off from a Pittsburgh steel works, and The Kid, who is a used car salesman and restaurateur, need this last chance at glory for different reasons.
In the 1980s both had been light-heavyweight champions, each taking the title from the other, but Razor surprisingly retired before a decisive re-match could be held.  Why? A woman, of course – in this case, Sally, played admirably by Kim Basinger, who drifted out of Razor’s life into an affair with The Kid.
When the elderly pugilists meet, they fight in private and a video of their fracas inadvertently goes viral. In steps wannabe promoter Dante Slate Jr (Kevin Hart), and the long-talked-about significant contest is scheduled.
The story is amiable and a tad sentimental because, in the finale, both fighters predictably come out winners. But if it’s clichéd, good, jocular fun you want, then Grudge Match is a belter.
<h4><a href="#more-indaily-film-reviews" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="more-indaily-film-reviews"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>More InDaily film reviews:</h4>
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/23/wolf-wall-street/">The Wolf of Wall Street</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/23/inside-llewyn-davis/">Inside Llewyn Davis</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/16/jack-ryan-shadow-recruit/">Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/09/book-thief/">The Book Thief</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/09/saving-mr-banks/">Saving Mr Banks</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/03/august-osage-county/">August: Orange County</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2013/12/24/philomena/">Philomena</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2013/12/23/hobbit-desolation-smaug/">The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug</a> 
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2013/12/19/american-hustle/">American Hustle</a>
 
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