Review of Grudge Match (2013) by Richard B — 11 Nov 2014

Death Match.

I watched this film expecting nothing in particular, but instead I was entertained by this most unlikely boxing movie. As boxers enter the ring at much older ages (Bernard Hopkins just lost a fight at 50 yesterday!), could it be possible that a man over 70 could fight one over 65 on screen? In Hollywood, anything is possible.

De Niro and Stallone, both New Yorkers, pretend to be from Pittsburgh (pull the other one!) and both Italians, pretend to be Irish (pull two other ones). Not content with this insane casting idea, they go much further by having a feud based on a love triangle with Kim Basinger, who must have been in nursery school in 1983. Married to Razor Sharp (Stallone) she cheats on him with Kim (who has beat Sharp for the first time). Not only that, she has a son by him, who proves to be a worse than awful father. Stallone cannot be anything but the hero, while De Niro relishes playing the villain of the piece, over the top and around the bend. Alan Arkin adds his usual comic relief as Sharp's trainer, adding class to every one of his scenes.

The fight itself is so over the top violent that it stretches credibility beyond a cartoon. Both men look old, and facially, awful. Nothing can prepare you for the toned ruin of Stallone, all muscly and stringy. At least De Niro looks old and tough, but somehow 'normal'.

Check your brain and critical faculties at the door, and you will enjoy this crazy piece f senior hokum. I know I did. I am very glad Christopher Nolan didn't direct it - he would have added even worse special effects, a metaphysical plot and cast Michael Caine as one of the (American) fighters.