Play It to the Bone (1999) 2 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Woody Harrelson, Antonio Banderas, Lolita Davidovich, Lisa Liu. Written and directed by Ron Shelton.
On the boxing food chain Vince Boudreau (Woody Harrelson) and Cesar Dominguez (Antonio Banderas) are closer to the bottom than the top.
Neither is what you would call a contender. They're merely card fillers - bodies to fill out a program, to whet the mob's appetite before the main bout.
Vince and Cesar also happen to be best friends. So when providence strikes, it smites them both in the solar plexus.
A series of accidents has opened a spot on a championship bout card. The only hitch, Vince and Cesar have to fight each other.
Thus is the premise of director-writer Ron Shelton's "Play It to the Bone."
And I wish I could report that Shelton's movie delivers a knock-out punch.
Unfortunately, it lands a few solid blows and several jabs, but never can connect that emotional wallop needed to carry off the decision.
Shelton has created some likable characters, yet it seems he had trouble deciding what he wants to do with them.
"Play It to the Bone" almost plays like two films: the first, a road movie as Vince, Cesar and their girlfriend, Grace Pasic (Lolita Davidovich) drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for the bout.
The second, and much better half of the movie, is the battle in the ring between Vince and Cesar.
"Play It to the Bone" is gritty, hard-punching fun. But Shelton takes too long setting things up for the big fight. He spends too much time on the road. His idea, of course, was to allow us time to get to know these characters.
But Vince and Cesar start to wear out their welcome as their alternately bond, bicker and recall past days of near-glory.
The fight sequences are superb. And Shelton's dialogue is crisp and clever.
Harrelson and Banderas gives solid performances. They have the walk and talk down pat and have that down-and-out, almost-made-it-to-the-top look.
Davidovich is sexy and charming as the woman who can't decide between the two loves of her life, while Lucy Liu (best known as one of the lawyers on TV's "Ally McBeal") is sharp is a small, supporting role as a gold-digging hanger-on.
Ultimately, though, something is missing. An ingredient is lacking that would raise "Play It to the Bone" to level of Shelton's "Bull Durham," for example.
It's that little spark that separates a champion from an also-ran. "Play It to the Bone" had championship potential, but it just could not climb to that next level.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net
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