[Movie Review] Grudge Match (2013)

Posted on December 25, 2013 by thegrandshuckett in Movie Reviews // 0 Comments

Plot Summary: A pair of aging boxing rivals are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout -- 30 years after their last match.

Director: Peter Segal

Writers: Tim Kelleher (screenplay & story), Rodney Rothman (screenplay),

Runtime: 113 min

Main Cast:

Sylvester Stallone as Henry "Razor" Sharp
Robert De Niro as Billy "The Kid" McDonnen
Kevin Hart as Dante Slate, Jr.
Alan Arkin as Lightning
Jon Bernthal as B.J.
Kim Basinger as Sally Rose

Review: by Anthony and Lee

We were not sure about seeing Grudge Match, figuring it could go either way. On the one hand, it had Robert De Niro. On the other hand, it had Sylvester Stallone. In the end, we decided Alan Arkin would make it worthwhile.

What We Liked:

Alan Arkin was a bright light in the sea of darkness that was this horrible movie. Even with the terrible lines written for him, his delivery and the easily identifiable improv lines were great.

It was oddly enjoyable. Many of the jokes fell flat, and the acting and writing were deplorable, but we still had a decently good time.

What We Didn’t Like:

The writing was absolutely terrible. The conversations were awkward and forced, and the scenes that seemed like improvisation probably should’ve stuck to the script.

Kim Basinger was annoying from the moment she stepped on screen through the credits. This could have been due to any number of things, such as the poor writing, her ’80s hairstyle, and her recently-widowed-but-desperately-on-the-hunt-for-my-first-love attitude.

Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro need to keep their shirts on in every movie from here on. Two shirtless old men punching each other in a boxing ring is nothing that anybody wants to watch.

2.5

Summary

Grudge Match was a poorly written, poorly acted, but still somehow enjoyable movie. The majority of the good scenes involve Alan Arkin and we never want to see Stallone or De Niro without a shirt on ever again.

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