Review of Grudge Match (2013) by Devin C — 11 Jan 2014

As far as boxing movies go, there really isn't anything left that hasn't been done before. Every dramatic storyline, inspirational motivation, and sympathetic plight has been mined, and many of those by the very actors starring in this movie. None of this should come as a surprise though, anyone who watched the trailer can easily predict the typical beats that this film will hit. But who cares, this is a nostalgia picture, and in that, it is a success.

I won't pretend that this is an Oscar worthy production. It has more than its fair share of problems. Those problems, for me, just weren't enough to make me dislike it.

When we are introduced to our characters, they are eerily familiar. Both Stallone and DeNiro play characters who reflect their iconic roles. Stallone plays a character not so different from the aging boxer in the final Rocky Balboa film. He is a blue collar guy, the sort of person ill-suited to fame. He is a quiet loner who has disconnected himself from the world and hides from his fame. Likewise, DeNiro plays a role not so different from his famous role as Jake LaMotta. He is described as an alcoholic womanizer. A man who lives in the shadow of his former glory, who parlayed his success into business opportunities, including a bar and car dealership. They are polar opposites, whose only link is that their only career losses were to each other, and both have lived with that for thirty years.

The titular Grudge Match that ensues is, like most boxing movies, underwhelming. Substituting actual boxing with a blind slugfest. The rest of the film however, is much better than I would have thought. While the comedic moments tend to fall flat, there are a few moments of genuine emotion that make it worthwhile.

If you are on the fence about this movie, I understand, but consider this. There is only so much time left for us to be able to enjoy actors like Stallone and DeNiro. And while not everything they have done as they age has been great, it is silly to deprive yourself of a single good scene with them. For that reason alone, I would recommend this to fans.

As an extra bonus, we get to see Stallone punching Chael Sonnen in the face. And who doesn't want to see that? 6/10.