Grudge Match

Man, this should’ve been fun. Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro, riffing on their iconic boxing characters Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, having one last boxing match. Sounds to me like the setup for something great, nostalgic and even funny. Instead, director Peter Segal manages to make this undertaking a morose, unfunny slog. Stallone plays a generally unhappy character, while De Niro plays a total asshole. Their characters wind up in a scenario that gets their near 70-year-old bodies into the ring for a rematch 30 years after their last fight. The fight itself is OK, with both men looking pretty fit for their age. Everything leading up to it is oddly paced, and sometimes painful to watch, especially when Kim Basinger is on screen as a confused love interest. Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart are wasted in supporting roles. This seemed like a sure thing, but Segal most certainly blows it. The film takes itself too seriously, and doesn’t know when to smile.