7.0Ratings: 7.0/10 from 2,568 users Metascore: 35/100
Reviews: 32 user | 67 critic | 30 from Metacritic.com
Reviews: 32 user | 67 critic | 30 from Metacritic.com
About:
Grudge Match is a 2013 sports comedy film starring Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone as aging boxers stepping into the ring for one last bout. Stallone and De Niro have both previously been in successful boxing films (Rocky and Raging Bull, respectively) and worked together in Cop Land. The film is directed by Peter Segal. It was previously scheduled for a January 10, 2014 release, but was moved up to December 25, 2013.
Story Overview:
Boxers Henry “Razor” Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (Robert De Niro) become rivals after two fights, one in which Kid beats Razor and one in which Razor beats Kid. Before they have a rematch, Razor announces his retirement, ruining both of their careers. Years later, Razor is working in a shipyard when he’s visited by promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart), who wants Razor to provide a motion capture performance for a video game. Razor begrudingly accepts $15,000 needed to renovate his house. At the recording studio, he is surprised by Kid, who was also invited by Slate, and the two get into a fight and damage the studio’s equipment before being arrested. Cellphone footage of the fight is uploaded on YouTube and goes viral, giving Slate the idea of organizing a final fight between Razor and Kid, which he calls a “Grudge Match”.
Kid accepts Slate’s offer, and Razor is forced to do so as well, after learning he has been fired from the shipyard. At the press conference to announce the Grudge Match, Razor is approached by his ex-girlfriend Sally Rose (Kim Basinger), who cheated on him with Kid during their youth and ended up becoming pregnant. She wants to reconnect with Razor, but he is reluctant. Razor later recruits his old trainer, Louis “Lightning” Conlon (Alan Arkin), to get him back in shape, while Kid is approached by his son, B.J. (Jon Bernthal), against Sally’s wishes. After initially dismissing him, the two begin to bond after B.J. gives Kid helpful advice regarding his technique, and is invited to be his trainer.
Lightning convinces Razor to forgive Sally, and finds out Razor is blind of one eye. He tries to convince Razor not to fight, as it could kill him, but Razor refuses to back down. Meanwhile, Kid takes his grandson Trey to celebrate the news that the Grudge Match is sold out. While B.J. believes they’re going to a movie theater, Kid takes Trey to a bar and leaves him on his own to hook up with a groupie. Trey ends up accidentally starting Kid’s car while he’s in the backseat with the groupie, and though Kid prevents an accident, he is arrested, and B.J. is infuriated he endangered Trey. Kid later apologizes to B.J. and gives him a scrapbook that he kept of B.J.’s sports career in school, indicating he had always been present, and B.J. forgives him.
The Grudge Match arrives, and Kid has the upper hand, severely beating Razor by unknowingly exploiting his blind eye. Upon learning of Razor’s condition, however, Kid stops focusing on the eye and helps Razor on his feet. Razor turns the fight to his favor, but also helps Kid on his feet after nearly knocking him out. They decide to stop the fight and have the judges decide on points. Razor is declared the winner and celebrates with Sally and Lightning, while Kid enjoys the company of B.J. and Trey, who are proud of what he has accomplished.
In two after credits scenes, Razor, Lightning and Slate watch Kid’s performance in Dancing with the Stars and quickly deduce that he’s having sex with his partner; and Slate tries to set up another Grudge Match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
Cast:
Robert De Niro as Billy “The Kid” McDonnen[3]
Sylvester Stallone as Henry “Razor” Sharp[3]
Kevin Hart as Dante Slate, Jr.[4]
Alan Arkin as Lightning[4]
Kim Basinger as Sally Rose[4]
Ireland Baldwin as Young Sally
Jon Bernthal as B.J.[5]
Joey Diaz as Mikey
LL Cool J as Frankie Brite
Anthony Anderson as Mr. Sandpaper Hands
Don Lake as Video Game Producer
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