• Login
  • My Account
  • Logout
  • Privacy
  • Cookie Policy

THATFILMGUY

Film Previews, News, Reviews and Lists

  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Lists
  • Five Stars
  • News
You are here: Home / Film Reviews / Review: Grudge Match (2013)

Review: Grudge Match (2013)

January 20, 2014 by That Film Guy Leave a Comment

Grudge Match

Following the trend of films focusing on the over-60s comes Grudge Match, which could generously be called Rocky vs. Raging Bull.

Henry ‘Razor’ Sharpe (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen (Robert De Niro) are old boxing rivals. They had two epic matches, but before they could have the third rubber match Razor retired from the sport. 30 years on and Razor works at a steel factory, while Billy does comedy stand-up in a bar. The two are brought in to do motion-capture for an upcoming legends of boxing video game and their old rivalry sparks up again. Seeing an opportunity, the son of their previous promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart) signs them both to finally settle their differences in the ring.

Grudge Match kicks off with a historical look at the two boxers, which using some CGI effects takes the two men back to their Rocky and Raging Bull pasts. The names may be the different, but there are huge similarities in character. Stallone’s Razor is very much the down-trodden working man underdog, while De Niro’s Billy is the cocksure, foul-mouthed, arrogant talker.

Grudge Match lacks the intensity of more recent films like Warrior, but brings with it some genuine laughs and excellent chemistry between the two leads. The supporting cast led by a fantastic Alan Arkin as a brutally truthful ex-trainer all help with the comedic heavy-lifting, but this is very much a star vehicle for the leads. In a nice moment between the two they discuss how being old doesn’t mean they’re worthless, which is a common theme in these films.

In terms of pacing and structure Grudge Match is as formulaic as it comes, but as with a lot of sports films, this doesn’t matter. All the recognisable strokes are here, even including a heavy-handed relationship subplot designed to increase pathos but that actually just slows down the action and comedy.

A fun enjoyable romp that harks back to previous classic films for both the lead actors, Grudge Match has a broad appeal and despite short-comings in pacing and drama is another worthy addition in the OAP action genre.

 

 

Thomas Patrick

 

« Previous
Review: Now You See Me (2013)
Next »
Review: Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

About That Film Guy

A new group of film reviewers in the finest traditions of ThatFilmGuy.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Sponsor Website

JEDINET LINK

TOP LIST

Top 30 Christmas Films

Top 30 Christmas Films

  Love Actually (2011) It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Elf (2003) A Christmas Story … Read More

Top 30 Horror Films

Top 30 Horror Films

Our list of the Top 30 Horror Movies of all Time. Do you Agree?.........Horror films are one of the … Read More

Top 30 Comedy Films

Top 30 Comedy Films

Our list of the Top 30 Comedy Movies of all Time. Do you Agree?.........One of the most popular and … Read More

Top 30 Animated Films

Top 30 Animated Films

Our list of the Top 30 Animated Movies of all Time. Do you Agree?.........The animatedĀ film genre … Read More

Top 30 Film Trilogies

Top 30 Film Trilogies

Our list of the Top 30 Movie Trilogies of all Time. Do you Agree?.........Before the 1970s a film … Read More

Top 30 Classic Action Films

Top 30 Classic Action Films

Our list of the Top 30 Classic Action Movies of all Time. Do you Agree?.........Catering for the … Read More

© 2022copyright Thatfilmguy.com and Trafford Innovations Limited