I found this to be a refreshing buddy movie. Refreshing in that the buddies, Vince (Woody Harrelson) and Cesar (Antonio Banderas), aren't so polar in their personalities that they aren't always clashing in the usual clichéd manner. That is, one isn't a lot more fast-talking than than the other, or more wilder, or more idiosyncratic. They're just a couple of sweet dim-bulb washed-up boxers who mean well and are the best of friends.
When the under-card boxers for a big-time Vegas boxing event (Mike Tyson vs someone) both can't fight - seeing as one's dead and one's drugged-up to the max, Vince and Cesar get the call to take their places in the match that very night. They have to fight each other, yet it's their shot for each of them to redeem themselves in the boxing world.
This flick's half road movie, half sports movie, and all buddy movie, and the structure works. During the road trip from L.A. to Vegas, we get to know these guys and their former girl friend, Grace (Lolita Davidovich). During the trip, their idiosyncrasies, usually forgiven through friendship, begin to grate on each other, and their secrets, and their feelings of rivalry and jealousies, which they usually keep hidden, come to the surface. All of it builds in tension as they get closer to Vegas and the big fight.
But, when they arrive for the fight itself, we know that these guys still love each other, and we've come to like them. So who to root for during the boxing match? Seeing them prove that they're both good boxers and that either one of them could win makes for great dramatic tension, just the right stuff for a sports movie.
The boxing itself is terrifically filmed as we feel every blow and wince for each one of them. The ending is kind of predictable, satisfying and yet dissatisfying at the same time. Do they actually redeem themselves? It's hard to tell.
Lucy Lui makes an appearance, but she seems to be there just to be annoying and to have sex with Vince. It stirs up the frustrated Cesar, but, story-wise, that's about it. Fortunately, she doesn't stick around for long.
There are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments in the movie and it's got a lot of heart. Harrelson, Banderas, and Davidovich are right-on in their performances. If you're looking for a straight-forward sports movie, you'll be disappointed. But Shelton's movies have always been more about character, anyway. It's all about a deep friendship that's truly tested in every way. This is a character-driven movie that builds up to some great boxing that's well worth the trip.
When the under-card boxers for a big-time Vegas boxing event (Mike Tyson vs someone) both can't fight - seeing as one's dead and one's drugged-up to the max, Vince and Cesar get the call to take their places in the match that very night. They have to fight each other, yet it's their shot for each of them to redeem themselves in the boxing world.
This flick's half road movie, half sports movie, and all buddy movie, and the structure works. During the road trip from L.A. to Vegas, we get to know these guys and their former girl friend, Grace (Lolita Davidovich). During the trip, their idiosyncrasies, usually forgiven through friendship, begin to grate on each other, and their secrets, and their feelings of rivalry and jealousies, which they usually keep hidden, come to the surface. All of it builds in tension as they get closer to Vegas and the big fight.
But, when they arrive for the fight itself, we know that these guys still love each other, and we've come to like them. So who to root for during the boxing match? Seeing them prove that they're both good boxers and that either one of them could win makes for great dramatic tension, just the right stuff for a sports movie.
The boxing itself is terrifically filmed as we feel every blow and wince for each one of them. The ending is kind of predictable, satisfying and yet dissatisfying at the same time. Do they actually redeem themselves? It's hard to tell.
Lucy Lui makes an appearance, but she seems to be there just to be annoying and to have sex with Vince. It stirs up the frustrated Cesar, but, story-wise, that's about it. Fortunately, she doesn't stick around for long.
There are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments in the movie and it's got a lot of heart. Harrelson, Banderas, and Davidovich are right-on in their performances. If you're looking for a straight-forward sports movie, you'll be disappointed. But Shelton's movies have always been more about character, anyway. It's all about a deep friendship that's truly tested in every way. This is a character-driven movie that builds up to some great boxing that's well worth the trip.