| Top Critics (46) Grudge Match Review By Rich Cline It's a little annoying that this high-concept marketing project (Rocky vs Raging Bull!) | Rating: 4/10 Grudge Match is an entirely satisfying popcorn flick that is good for just about any kind of movie-goer. Both men do look just as impressive in the ring as they did back in the day I must say, they both go at it hammer 'n' tongs and the movie doesn't shy away from the blood sweat and snot. The comedy elements are weak... And, worst of all, the acting in most scenes — particularly those involving Sylvester Stallone and Kim Basinger — is atrocious. These fighters are worth seeing again! I just can''t believe this movie is doing so poorly in the box office, because it was in the very least a solid film with everything executed right. Refreshingly the same...two great actors doing what they do best and NOT apologizing for it. But, this movie is likely to make you a fan... or at least of the story. Well well what's this? 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. Never have I wanted to un-see a film more badly than this. Grudge Match scores a 3.5 out of 5 on the BDBOS. A lackluster gimmick, an instantly forgettable malaise cashing in on preceding run-of-the-mill sports folklore. Even though I'm not interested in boxing or movies about it at all, I have seen Rocky, and I actually liked it. | Rating: 3/5 However, I doubt the next 24hrs will change anything, Grudge Match is perfect! I demand a rematch! This is a light hearted, nostalgic film with lots of great jokes and a fantastic cast. I went in hoping that I would be at least mildly entertained. | 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. 30 years later, the thought of a rematch is asked by the son of the two's previous promoter's son Dante Slate, Jr. (Kevin Hart). Fine to rip off Rocky, but to wilfully recall Raging Bull – and trash it – is just awful. I wasn't offended or anything while watching this film. The fact that they did that after 30 years (time in which neither really had a life) makes it spicier, but basically, that's just the sprinkling on the cake. Metacritic Reviews. WHY did they do it? So yes there are plenty of obligatory family issues throughout for both fighters, gotta have those family issues to deal with. I loved the movie. Really? Like grudges. The story is unconvincing. Somewhat formulaic, but a lot of fun regardless. 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". | This is a movie about what it means to win with honor, and to stand on your feet and be a man about it. | Rating: 1.0/4.0 Coming Soon, Regal A Great Christmas Movie - Excellent Cast And Lots Of Fun! Stallone loses his crappy job and has old flame Basinger crawling around him who also just happens to be DeNiro's old flame and mother of DeNiro's now grown up son whom he abandoned. Despite all the rather dull cheesy hokey drama the movie does end on a solid bit of boxing. By. There will be a series of rounds in which I compare the two movies to one another, and there will be a winner for each round based on which movie succeeds more in that area. Grudge Match is an entirely satisfying popcorn flick that is good for just about any kind of movie-goer. Grudge Match is one icon-exploiting and formulaic Hollywood comedy that manages to clear the (not so challenging) bar that it aims for. It's got a good, fun storyline that is good for adults AND kids. |, February 1, 2021 You know, that type of stuff. It really sucks that the film didn't really have more for Kevin Hart to do, because he's very energetic and easily has the best lines in the entire movie. I was warned about this one, but I decided to go against that warning and to watch this sports comedy starring Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone as aging boxers stepping into the ring for one last bout. On the other hand DeNiro is a cocky loud mouthed edgy fighter who only wants to win any way he can. Other than the fact that there's no sports commission, in the United States at least, that would give these guys at this age a license to fight. But they are all stars in this worthy story, filled with laughs, mystery, and drama. Well good luck with that. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Bliss. Grudge Match is sporadically funny but meandering, and its strong cast largely mired in a plot that's overrun with clichés. The plot is cliched as hell and utilises every trick in the sports movie book, everything you saw in Rocky basically. Don't worry about spoiler alerts. I'll be brief. This is a strange, unfunny, and unmoving boxing riff that simultaneously apes the hoary templates of Thirties and Forties fisticuffs films, nails cliches, and telegraphs its eventual outcome at every opportunity. Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 Coming Soon. Reviews Grudge Match Review Two old boxing pros (De Niro and Stallone), long-time rivals now in the autumn of their careers, are lured back into the ring for one final glory bout. However the film is a comedy and it has a good amount of laughs within it. In Grudge Match, Pittsburgh boxers Henry 'Razor' Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen (Robert De Niro) are the best of enemies, fighting in their prime in the early 1980s. Yes, it had some cheesy lines and less than perfect moments but I would never call it pathetic. | Fresh (44) | Rating: 1/5 Film buffs will enjoy seeing … Did this actually look good on paper? By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Definitely a mirror of life today. In the canon of great boxing movies, there are … On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 31% based on 140 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/10. Grudge Match Rating: 2.5/5From All the reviews on the webShowing 3 Reviews Grudge Match Review Ratings:3/5 Review By: Rajeev Masand Site:Masand’s Verdict ( CNN IBN) Grudge Match probably won’t be remembered in the way that those films are, but it’s a competent sports comedy in which De Niro, now 70, and Stallone, currently 67, star as longtime boxing rivals who have unfinished … But the film is an excellent drama and is a lot funnier that I thought it would be. or is it merely an excuse to have Rocky vs Jake LaMotta? It's a bit different to what I thought it was going to be, but it was still a very enjoyable time. Muhammad Ali may have had the ability to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, but 2013's Grudge Match can do no more than stumble around like a cockroach that's taken a direct hit from a can of Raid. The film did poorly I have read but honesty I quite enjoyed this for what it was. It's got emotion and funny lines and moves along nicely. Read full review So its safe to say my expectations were extremely high because I was about to see my Hollywood hero on the big screen again and boxing nonetheless. External Reviews Awards It has a little bit of comedy, satire, drama and is geared towards that older demographic and has a little heart, passion and a little fun. The humor and fun tone of Grudge Match keeps it light and entertaining as you make your way through the formulaic plot. SOLID ACTING. Parents need to know that Grudge Match is a boxing comedy starring two actors legendary for their on-screen boxers: Robert De Niro (Raging Bull) and Sylvester Stallone ().As one would expect from a boxing film starring older actors, there are a ton of age jokes as well as fights in and out of the ring (the two men are shown bloody and bruised by the end of the fight). Callahan Filmworks, March 7, 2017 Back in their early years they were both top of their game, the best of the best, but which was better? Grudge Match – review 2 out of 5 stars. Personally I thought the movie was amazingly entertaining. |. Read full review What I find a little amusing about this is it actually does feel like Rocky Balboa vs LaMotta, both Stallone and DeNiro perform pretty much in the same way they did for both iconic movies. And, it had a decent ending that was digestible. We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future. | Rating: 1.5/4 I like how the film is not just about boxing, but about the characters. Twitter. Next to finding a lump of coal under your Christmas tree, I can't think of a worse gift for the holiday season than a ticket to Grudge Match. Pairing the actors who brought classic movie characters such as the Raging Bull and the Italian Stallion to life would both team up to do a film that would ostensibly tackle the issues of older boxers, legacy, and unsolved contention, while showcasing the talents of two superb leading men. After returning to the Rocky films this past decade, he once again enters the ring in Grudge Match. If you are fans of these guys go and see it for the sake of their income which is needed in those late days of life... don't expect anything, though! I don't like Kevin Hart too much but even he was awesome. If you liked the rocky movies and have a sense of humour, it's for you. But the smart thing here is that he's kind of poking fun at himself. Good movie overall, not too bad. You have these two old boxers who have had a grudge for 30 years, since they had to fight each other, but the fight was canceled. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. At least "Grudge Match" tries to strike a balance between a realistic portrayal of aging and its climactic, action-packed beatdown. SXSW Movie Reviews TV Reviews Roundtables Podcasts THR Presents. | Rating: 2/5 I adore the guy, grew up with him as many of you did, and will pay through the teeth to see anything he does no matter how bad and I will desperately try to find the good in it. There are probably more people curious about seeing ROCKY and RAGING BULL square off than witnessing a COP LAND reunion… Either way, with Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta in the same movie, they might want something edgy, dramatic and uplifting. They achieve all this but on a much, much smaller scale. I understand that these types of characters would speak this much, and the fact that the movie is PG-13, but there really is an amount of times you can say $H!% and getting annoying/ tired some. Grudge Match book. Grudge Match starts out as a comedy about two aged boxers trying to perform some miraculous comeback, but as the film slowly transforms into a … Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. If you are a fan of sports films, boxing fan, Kevin Hart, or Sylvester Stallone fan go watch the movie. On top of that Robert DeNiro is high up on my Hollywood heroes list and synonymous with boxing in his own right (though I hated Raging Bull..I appreciate it for its classic status.) 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. The concept behind this grudge match review works pretty much like you’d expect. There are essentially two story lines here in parallel to each other that occasionally intertwine so the plot stays interesting, granting the movie a little more to offer than your usual comedy. The climactic boxing match is decent, but you've seen better in films like The Fighter or even the last Rocky movie, so if you want to see it for that, then it's been done better elsewhere. FTV #1: The Star Crystal (1986) Movie Review (Epic Rant - One of the Worst Movies I've Ever Seen!) I expected Stallone and DeNiro to be somewhat burnt out. Grudge Match Review. So, yes, Grudge Match is an act of cultural vandalism. It's interesting. Read critic reviews He brings a frenetic energy to … Film Review: ‘Grudge Match’. At the same time there are some nice references to the lead stars earlier movies and some nice little moments to add a chuckle. And it's not just laughs; the story is sincere and emotionally driven, with excellent acting across the board to bolster it. |, September 9, 2020 Stallone's character basically is Balboa for Pete's sake, he lives in a typical blue collar area, has a poor paying job in the shipyards and comes across as a soft centred soul. It's not just the awkward sight of two senior citizens duking it out in the ring that strikes a sour note, but the narrative of how this match develops is hideously wrong. I don't want to go too much into detail because I really encourage viewers to go in and check it out for themselves. I’ll admit I had my reservations before watching. I'm looking at your house. Kevin Hart, by a rather large margin, is the best thing about "Grudge Match". By Andrew Barker. 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. | Rating: 1/5 Basically a purely nostalgic trip down memory lane or a leap back in time with your Delorean. The only fights the pair ever lost in their careers were to each other, one beat the other and vice versa. WOW! If you're a boxing fan, boxing-movie fan, comedy fan, or a fan of anyone in this movie, don't miss it. There are some genuinely side-splitting moments here. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. I really fail to see how any fan of both stars (or any movie fan) could not enjoy this, the films poster says it all and its a corker of a poster too. I don't really think this film had much potential to begin with, but it's certainly watchable enough. Anyone who reads my reviews regularly will know that this is a biased review for me. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. What's not to like? | Rotten (100). The movie is about Henry "Sharp" Razor (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (Robert De Niro), two boxers who were arch enemies in their prime, then Razor announcement his retirement from boxing which makes McDonnen enrage. Or was the money just so awesome that it was impossible to pass up? The whole project is so old school and retro it really is, Kim Basinger and Alan Arkin both have leading roles alongside the OAP fighters which made me feel like this was another Expendables type setup. PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language|Sports Action Violence), Gerber Pictures, 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. I did not mention the other actors. The film itself is actually a very good film....if you can take older men with no shirts. 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. Kid had sex, and fathered a child, with Razor's ex and that has made their rivalry even more personal. Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. All rights reserved. Email. | Obviously, the characters in Grudge Match are not the same characters listed above, but they are played by the same actors, thirty plus years later. Grudge Match certainly has enough successful elements to be moderately entertaining, although it's hard not to wish it contained fewer distractions. That's really the only reason for this film's existence and this film even has some nods to those older, and better, films. Sylvester Stallone must really love boxing. Published: 25 Jan 2014 . The hack comedy writing in this movie is so predictable that a child would know the punchline before it hits. This will be pathetic!". Entertaining Attempt To Make Fun Out Of Iconic Roles, A major-minor movie with some good majors but sometimes distracting minors. |, February 6, 2014 Grudge Match pulls no punches. The movie was exactly what I expected, perhaps with the exception of Kim Basinger who looks smoking hot at an age when most women need hearing aids and false teeth. There are nods to the Rocky films, De Niro probably gets the best lines and Kevin Hart is outstanding as the boxing promoter. Not a bad way to feel about getting older! and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. |, January 23, 2014 I can't, in good conscience, knowing that there are better boxing films out there, really recommend this. Copyright © Fandango. |, January 28, 2014 Sadly, the new technology in the movies is showing too much, and there is not much to be hidden which will make you sad instead of excited. Great for boxing fans. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Golden Tomato Awards: Best Movies & TV of 2020. (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. I liked it so much that I registered on IMDb to write my first review. | Rating: 2.5/5 |, December 3, 2020 The next thing that stands out? But, they portrayed vivid characters. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Don't have an account? Coming Soon. It's certainly watchable and it has its moments, but a strong cast is hampered by a poor script that relies on cliches instead of creating an interesting story of its own. The big boxing match is an embarrassment in every way. Grudge Match Movie Review: Critics Rating: 3.5 stars, click to give your rating/review,The training sequences in the film are sluggish and intentionally funny. Conclusion – Grudge Match Movie Review (Blu-ray) What I will tell you is I found this film funny and entertaining. 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. After each lands a victory over the other, they prepare for one final showdown … Such as Stallone going into a meat locker and is about to slam into one carcass with his fists but is stopped by Arkin who points out they are there to buy meat not hit it. The actors are great and absolutely all of them nail their characters! In a world of low bars, Grudge Match may not snag a spot on many worst of the year lists, but considering the talent assembled in front of the camera, it certainly doesn’t manage to rise to any sort of occasion as anything more than something to fritter away your time. Just before their old rematch Razor retired which angered Kid, now the game is back on. I saw "Grudge Match", starring Sylvester Stallone-The Expendables movies, the Rocky movies; Robert De Niro-Last Vegas, Raging Bull; Kim Basinger-Cellular, Never Say Never Again; Kevin Hart-This is the End, Soul Plane and Alan Arkin-Argo, Freebie and the Bean. National Newspaper Publishers Association. 'Grudge Match's good points are primarily that none of the actors embarrass themselves here (potential viewers may be happy to hear that neither Stallone nor De Niro seem to be 'phoning' this one in), and the final fight in the film is particularly well-shot – thanks primarily to the fact that Stallone choreographed the scenes himself, using his experience of doing the same for the Rocky films. |, January 26, 2014 Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Sylvester Stallone, 67, plays Henry "Razor&qu… I was surprised how good of a movie it was.… Like I said before, it is basically a Rocky Balboa film, as I said as the movie was coming out,"It may have originally been Rocky 7." The plot sees aging fighters Stallone (Razor) and DeNiro (The Kid) trying to recapture their youth and regain their old pugilistic skills via setting up a big lavish grudge match. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Grudge match is book 8 in the Sunny Randall series. |, August 29, 2019 Working from a cobbled-together screenplay by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman, director Peter Segal pretty much goes through the motions. The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. The film also sees Razor and Kid reconnecting with their ex and son, respectively, and that's about as cliched as you can get. | Rating: 2.5 On top of that you have easily one of the worst performances I have seen on the big screen in a very, very long time (more on that in a moment.) In fact, the actual boxing scenes are relegated to only like twenty minutes, if that. The only reason for this film's existence is the fact that both Stallone and De Niro both played boxers in famous films. I do not want to waste too much time on this review and even more underestimate the efforts these two veterans put together to pull this one! Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart, particularly the latter, have some really funny lines and the film benefits from their presence, but the film is marred by sport movie cliches, including countless old jokes, a lot of them by Arkin, etc. Cinemark Yes there are some solid principles to live by in this movie... and some to ignore. In the right hands they could have made this a cutting edge comedy/drama that was geared towards an older demographic and fill it with heart, and passion and fun. |, January 8, 2020 The only thing this film has is a good cast and really not much else. Probably determine your reaction to the Rocky franchise non-boxing movie about not letting of. Worried about, then why bother watching the film ) we finally get to see your review if you take. Kinda felt like all of the best, but it 's reasonably diverting Balboa and Jake LaMotta.... a... A late night movie had a decent story a major-minor movie with some good majors but sometimes distracting.... 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