A different way of telling a story

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

GRUDGE MATCH feels a little like the boxing version of THE EXPENDABLES at times. It fears a world-weary Sly Stallone (a typical type of character for him, these days) playing a former boxing champion who comes out of retirement for one last match with his old rival, played by Robert De Niro. Yep, it's a simple film built around the premise 'Rocky vs. Raging Bull', with no more depth to it than that.Well, there is depth, but it's TV movie-style sentiment and family affairs-type material which I tend to avoid like the plague. It's a pity, as both Kim Basinger and Jon Bernthal have given great performances elsewhere but are wasted in minor roles like this. Stallone remains as likable as ever but De Niro plays a largely unsympathetic role, which is mainly down to the script. As a comedy, this isn't very funny at all, as it's way too mean-spirited and ugly with constant jokes aimed at physical appearance and the like. The only good thing about it is the brutal final fight, which is almost worth the wait.

Grudge match started out strong with low ball guy humor. De Niro's character is a funny big mouth. Lines like "I'm healthy I take all my shots! Jack Daniel etc" are hilarious. Again,Stallone plays the quiet character with a past. Stallone is pushed into the fight, after making a video game and De Niro shows up early. The confrontation gets the boxing event rolling. The second half of the film is too much. Like an old joke or a big mouth who is funny at first, Grudge match get old very fast. Robert De Niro's character Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen is an major idiot, jerk etc that you cannot help but hate. You just know McDonnen is going to screw up. For anyone who has been disappointed or annoyed in life will just hate McDonnen. The viewer does not find McDonnen funny or even tragic likable, but sad in a pathetic way. The 2nd half of Grudge Match just kills the movie! First half, I give an eight and the second half I give a two. Grudge Match is a six stars out of ten.

I would not say this a good movie. If other people like it that's fine. But it is a fact this movie has violence and cursing. So how is that a family movie? This movie is boring. It is badly written. There are so good actors in this awful movie. They wasted there talent. There writer are awful. There hummer sucks. This is not a good movie for the Christmas season. Because it has nothing to do with it. To guy that are boxer that do like each other have fight each. With a lot of cheap laughs to make it really stinky. This is not a 6.4. This is a pooh pooh. Story but it is true. The kid in this movie is stupid. Like most kids in a Hollywood movie.

Although this works as a concept, having two old boxers who hate each other have one last match, it just keeps on making wish that I could have seen a movie where Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone had made this movie when they were both in their prime, cause that would have been explosive. As for the movie we do have, it is not a terrible comedy, but it is far from great. The main bright spots are the interactions between Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin, who keep yipping at each other and basically steal the show. But other then that it is a by the numbers predictable comedy with repetitive jokes and a bland outcome 2.5 Beards Out Of 5.