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Grudge Match is sporadically funny but meandering, and its strong cast largely mired in a plot that's overrun with clichés. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Pittsburgh boxers Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (Robert De Niro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) shared a fierce rivalry back in the 1980s. Each had scored a victory in two matches, but on the eve of their decisive third bout, Henry suddenly announced his retirement, effectively ending both boxers' careers. Thirty years later, boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart) makes Billy and Henry an offer they can't refuse: Return to the ring and settle the score once and for all.
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Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language|Sports Action Violence)
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Genre: Comedy
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Original Language: English
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Director: Peter Segal
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Producer: Bill Gerber, Mark Steven Johnson, Michael Ewing, Peter Segal, Ravi Mehta
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Writer: Tim Kelleher, Rodney Rothman
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Release Date (Theaters): wide
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $29.8M
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
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Production Co: Gerber Pictures, Callahan Filmworks
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Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for Grudge Match
Critic Reviews for Grudge Match
Audience Reviews for Grudge Match
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Well well what's this? the long awaited sequel to 'Raging Bull'? the long awaited follow up in the Rocky franchise? or is it merely an excuse to have Rocky vs Jake LaMotta? Well it kinda felt like all of the above really. 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. Back in their early years they were both top of their game, the best of the best, but which was better? The only fights the pair ever lost in their careers were to each other, one beat the other and vice versa. Just before their old rematch Razor retired which angered Kid, now the game is back on. 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. 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. On the other hand DeNiro is a cocky loud mouthed edgy fighter who only wants to win any way he can. Both actors are playing these roles seriously I might add, this is not a silly dumb comedy, its a proper boxing movie. 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. The plot is cliched as hell and utilises every trick in the sports movie book, everything you saw in Rocky basically. At the same time there are some nice references to the lead stars earlier movies and some nice little moments to add a chuckle. 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. Yeah sure it sounds like a cheap modern day throw away visual gag reference to an older classic movie...and it totally is but it did make me smile a tad. So yes there are plenty of obligatory family issues throughout for both fighters, gotta have those family issues to deal with. Its all so very predictable and painfully obvious what's gonna happen, DeNiro has his long abandoned son to win over...plus a new grandchild to get to know. 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. Can you feel the pain and anguish surging through here? Despite all the rather dull cheesy hokey drama the movie does end on a solid bit of boxing. Stallone still looks relatively impressive considering his age...DeNiro not quite as much but he does have that epic nasty look in his eye. 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. I loved seeing all the old legendary grimaces and scowls from DeNiro during the fight, same can be said for Stallone with his more gormless facial expressions. The film did poorly I have read but honesty I quite enjoyed this for what it was. Basically a purely nostalgic trip down memory lane or a leap back in time with your Delorean. Its pretty much our last chance to see these guys do what they did all those years ago, what made them famous (for Stallone at least). A simple sports flick with a happy ending and lots of retro appeal for guys and girls around my age and up. 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.
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I love butterscotch jelly beans!
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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. I remember Stallone and De Niro from their successful boxing films (Rocky and Raging Bull, respectively) and both of them working together in Cop Land, and I wanted to see what was changed. 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. I am not saying that I wasn't entertained at the moments by this film directed by Peter Segal. It had its moments... but not too many! 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! It wasn't an easy task to keep the story flowing with such a shallow and simplistic script, but there were times where I didn't mind staying in my seat a little bit longer. 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!
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The only reason for this film's existence is the fact that both Stallone and De Niro both played boxers in famous films. Stallone in Rocky, obviously, and De Niro as Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull, which if you haven't seen then you definitely should as it's one of De Niro's, and Scorsese's, best. That's really the only reason for this film's existence and this film even has some nods to those older, and better, films. The only thing this film has is a good cast and really not much else. 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. I don't really think this film had much potential to begin with, but it's certainly watchable enough. I wasn't offended or anything while watching this film. 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. No way, no how...these guys would never get sanctioned. But if that's what you were worried about, then why bother watching the film in the first place you know? You know the film's about two 60+ year old men fighting each other one last time in order to settle their rivalry and see who the better boxer was. The film also sees Razor and Kid reconnecting with their ex and son, respectively, and that's about as cliched as you can get. Kid had sex, and fathered a child, with Razor's ex and that has made their rivalry even more personal. 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. 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. I can't, in good conscience, knowing that there are better boxing films out there, really recommend this. 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. You could certainly watch worse films this weekend, but that's not necessarily a glowing recommendation.
jesse o Super Reviewer
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