filmcritic.com presents a review from staff member Aileo Weinmann. You can find the review with full credits at http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/2a460f93626cd4678625624c007f2b46/5c79ff984f1980fa8825684e0020fd46?OpenDocument
Play It To The Bone
A film review by Aileo Weinmann
Director: Ron Shelton Producer: Stephen Chin Screenwriter: Ron Shelton Stars: Woody Harrelson, Antonio Banderas, Lolita Davidovich, Lucy Liu, Robert Wagner MPAA Rating: R Year of Release: 1999
I didn't watch PLAY IT TO THE BONE – I sat through it. If you've ever seen a boxing match where you wish the guy who was knocked down didn't get up, just so it would be over, you know what I'm talking about. The overall limpness of this production greatly overshadows a few worthwhile moments of comedy, drama, and sport.
Vince Boudreau (Woody Harrelson – WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT) and Cesar Dominguez (Antonio Banderas – DESPERADO, THE MASK OF ZORRO) are best buddies whose careers as professional boxers are on the downswing. Fortunately for them, the undercard for the Mike Tyson match tonight just lost its scheduled fighters to a car accident and a drug overdose. If Vince and Cesar can make it from L.A. to Vegas by Showtime, they'll be paid to fight for the first time in years, facing each other, with a title shot going to the winner.
Vince's ex and Cesar's current gal Grace Pasic (Lolita Davidovich – BLAZE, COBB) agrees to drive them in the hopes that she'll find an investor to fund one of her wacky inventions at the fight. A long-standing rivalry becomes increasingly heated between Vince and Cesar as the trip progresses, jockeying for a psychological edge and Grace's attention. Add free-spirited hitchhiker Lia (Lucy Liu – `Ally McBeal') to the mix, and Grace's feisty disposition turns downright spicy. A couple of decent laughs aren't nearly enough to sustain what drags into a tiresome majority of the film. The bout itself proves to be a monumental battle, with both fighters delivering and sustaining almost inconceivable punishment in their quest for victory.
The central flaw of PLAY IT TO THE BONE is its failing to convince the audience to care about its characters. The bout itself is less than climactic because by then it doesn't matter who wins or loses. While Harrelson and Davidovich do a fine job with their parts, I found myself less likely to wince at the graphic depiction of the boxing match than Banderas' performance as an actor. If you're looking for a good boxing movie, head to the video store for a copy of RAGING BULL.
** -- Christopher Null - cnull@mindspring.com - http://www.filmcritic.com
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