Skip to main content

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Grduge Match (2013)

What is it about? 

Two boxing rivals with personal conflicts never truly settle their dispute with a rubber match. After thirty years of hatred, frustration, and agony, both men come to ahead to finally solve their inner issues and put to rest their longstanding dispute.

Who is in it? 

Sylvester Stallone - Henry "Razor" Sharp

Robert DeNiro - Billy "The Kid" McDonnen

Kevin Hart - Dante Slate Jr. 

Kim Basinger - Sally


Favorite Scene: 

After seeing a special documentary on television highlighting Sharp and McDonnen's history, Dante Slate Jr. goes to Sharp's house to begin the process of cashing in on the boxers' history. 

Favorite Quote: 

"Boy you must have been really tired. You fell asleep with a lot of people!"

Review: 

How many people thought of Rocky and Raging Bull colliding when they decided to sit down and watch this movie? From the trailer and the description, the film looks like a spoof for Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, or at the very least, something that was made to touch on the light parts of both films. Oddly enough, this film has those moments, a few more, but for the most part, that's all. 

I found Grudge Match to be an alright film that provided moments of laughter largely due to Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin, but for the most part, it just felt like it never got to that second or third gear. The plot is actually tremendous, and you really begin to buy into the hatred between the two characters portrayed by Stallone and De Niro. However, the back end of the movie leaves a lot to be desired. Especially, the sappiness in the latter stages regarding their personal lives and what occurs in the actual fight. And the end just comes of out of nowhere and leaves the story up in the air. 

Don't expect much from Grudge Match. It's not a terrible film, but it's definitely the kind that you will find on your cable channels on a weekend opposite something of more significance.

Grade: 2/5

Recent Favorites

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/17/24

3 Up 1. Virginia Ends Legacy Admissions - There is the obvious on this, right? Like, why is this even a thing to begin with? I'm very curious to see the effects of this in Virginia. For all of the discussion on race-equity-based admissions, and affirmative-action measures, legacy admissions have long gone without scrutiny.  2. Kyrie Irving Buzzer-Beater - Look, this is at #2 for mere appreciation of basketball - at the purity and poetry of it. Irving, arguably the most skilled player ever (despite his actions and your opinions of him) hit a game-winning left-handed (!!) hook shot from 16 feet out to win a game. It's simply unreal. It's a thing of beauty (and such difficulty!).  I'm headed out to the driveway to try it - we all know you will too.  3. COVID Anniversary - Ah yes, we'll continue to remember mid-March for COVID. But let it now steer you away from other thoughts on how the world was reduced to essentials. Let's never lose that outlook.  3 Down 1. Bo

Quick Ponder: Daily Armor

Imagine, if we can see the dents and scratches, the smashes and chaos,  on the daily armor, each of us put on. Just imagine. 

DP Review of the Alternate Knicks Orange Jersey

One of the good aspects about having a blog and being truthful and honest about it, is the hindsight thought process it provides. DP devotees already know how much I love my New York Knicks, and how excited I was about their new jerseys last year. It was a new look that was desperately needed ( DP Review On Knicks New Uniforms ).  In reviewing those jerseys last year, I had the following comments in regards to then-rumors regarding the addition of an alternative orange jersey for the Knicks and overall NBA changes to the Christmas Day special jerseys:  "As long as we do not add an "alternative jersey" (I read rumors of an orange one - woof!) (and the league-wide Spanish jerseys are fine). And please, please - PLEASE - let's finally do away with the awful green jerseys we feel the need to wear on Christmas and St. Patrick's day! Pretty please!"