Another soggy De Niro comedy

Rating: 4/10 (17 May 2014)

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
Thirty years ago, Henry 'Razor' Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy 'The Kid' McDonner (Robert DeNiro) were on the verge of their penultimate fight that they had been working up to for ages, only for Billy to have an indiscretion with Henry's girlfriend Sally (Kim Basinger) that calls the fight of their lives off. Now both have fallen on hard times, and an unscrupulous promoter (Kevin Hart) spots the potential in giving them both a re-match, but will tensions outside the ring throw a spanner in the works?
Sometimes, nothing can sell a movie better than a gimmick. Despite sharing many iconic screen performances between them, DeNiro and Stallone probably still hold most of the affection between them decades on for their respective portrayals of boxers Jake LaMotta and Rocky Balboa, and although the idea would have seemed crazy at the time, now they're both pushing on a bit, what better way to remind a new generation of cinema goers of their boxing legends than to make a new film playing boxers sending up the whole shebang? Sadly, despite the interesting novelty value, Grudge Match emerges as just another soggy, instantly forgettable DeNiro comedy.
The man's never seemed able to accept the fact his speciality is playing serious, intense, dramatic roles, and comedy is just not something he possesses a natural ability with. Which is a bigger problem than usual here, as he seems intent on taking centre stage and commandeering the whole show, really laying it on and giving it both barrels, whilst Stallone merely strides along the saddles, aware of what a one trick pony the whole show is. True, he can't really match DeNiro's dramatic expression and capability, but what he isn't showing is really saying a lot more than what he is. Meanwhile, a trio of supporting stars in the shape of Basinger, Hart and Alan Ardin don't get a lot to do, almost criminally under-used.
It's just a majorly belated, tragically one note show, depicting something that would never happen in real life and will be of little interest to anyone other than die hard Jake/Rocky devotees, who must be old enough to know better by now. **