SnoopyStyle
After a couple of unforeseen circumstances, casino owner Hank Goody (Robert Wagner), fight promoters Joe Domino (Tom Sizemore) and Artie (Richard Masur) need a couple of fighters quick to fill the undercard that night. They call up over-the-hill Cesar Dominguez (Antonio Banderas) and Vince Boudreau (Woody Harrelson). The two best friends get Grace Pasic (Lolita Davidovich), who has been involved with both, to drive from L.A. to Vegas. Along the way, they pick up hitchhiker Lia (Lucy Liu).This wants to be a comedic romp but sometimes it's off-putting. It starts with plenty of darkness and then Tom Sizemore gets terribly annoying. Harrelson and Banderas have good buddy chemistry. Davidovich is a pretty brassy broad and she steals the movie from the guys. I wanted Lucy Liu to stay in this movie. I really wanted to like this but I'm not really laughing.
juneebuggy
This was okay. For the most part, I enjoyed Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson in their roles as washed up boxers with "issues" and the boxing scenes themselves are quite well done however as a comedy it failed.The storyline was mediocre, following two aging fighters and best friends who get a chance at the middleweight title (and purse) providing they can get to Vegas in 24hours and then fight each other. The story is mostly a road trip with Antonio's current and Woody's ex girlfriend/promoter along for the ride and to create conflict. The guys do have good chemistry though and along the way we get flashbacks of their careers and competitive friendship over the years.The final fight in Vegas was the best part of the movie, exciting and well choreographed in a Rocky sort of way. I really wondered who was going to win. A bunch of fun cameos in the audience too (Mike Tyson, Kevin Costner, Wesley Snipes, George Foreman etc) and the announcer was familiar. I'm assuming this was also one of Lucy Liu's first roles, she is so young here.03.13
taijiquan12
Play it to the Bone features a great core concept, the idea of two friends pitted against each other in a match that looms over every event of the movie. That idea, and what could happen leading up to the fight is the great potential this movie just doesn't quite tap. The 3 lead actors were well-cast and have some good interactions with some fun one-liners and fairly believable acting about their characters in regards to how real they were. Their chemistry was good but they weren't given enough to do. I understand they were trying for the minimalist route by making it a simple road film, but the driving scenes get to be a bit much and I feel as if the movie could've used more events happening in the trip leading up to the fight, making it a bit more of an adventure than a semi-serious character study. It does that decently, but not well enough to keep the tone from becoming a little dull eventually. I again have to stress that having more wacky and adventurous events, maybe not too over the top, would've helped the movie, and a greater sense that they might barely make it to the fight, thus increasing the suspense and the audience's desire to see them make it. In this case, extending the road trip over a series of days or a week would've allowed for many events to packed into the same amount of time the hours long car ride takes in the film. There is a cameo from Lucy Liu, who essentially only does one thing to really advance the characters/movie, and then doesn't really serve a purpose, aside from being a foil to Lolita Davidovich's character and a gratuitous sex scene. They totally missed the opportunity to add another dynamic to the pseudo love triangle that had gotten a little old at that point in the movie. Speaking of cameos, there's a good number of surprises from various celebrities and boxing personalities, which is fun and adds authenticity to the boxing. Speaking of the boxing, it's definitely a refresher after the road portion, and one thing that Play it to the Bone does well is creates a sense of nervousness before the big fight. I liked the sense of unease they established before the fight began, it really spoke to both character's feelings about the fight and having to do this. The fight itself is not bad, considering that for most of the movie, you might not buy Harrelson and Banderas as boxers, even middleweights. However their prep-work does show, and the boxing is much more real and technical than in the Rocky films, and many other boxing movies. The problem with the match however, is the camera-work, pacing, and choreography. Without spoilers, the tension built to the fight is spoiled on very, very repetitive, unimaginative choreography.The ending is arguably the weakest part about Play it to the Bone. Everything is left unresolved, with the worst of the end of the movie events going to Davidovich's character. Events I thought would lead to a large, brawl filled climax instead end on a whimper that, although somewhat realistic, is pretty depressing. The actual ending is very disappointing, and explained by the observation that there is no real arc or change for any of the lead characters, or any character really, which is bad for what is largely a character driven piece. None of them change from the results in the movie, or have a revelation, or improve their relationship, they simply play out (to the bone) their functions in the plot, without any true substance. Not making the fight a way for the 2 boxer-friends to resolve something was a huge missed opportunity. Having more conflict between them build up and then get resolved by the end battle would've been great. On a side note, the movie hints at, but doesn't skewer strongly enough, the corruption behind boxing promotion, which would've been more bold if fully carried out, and provide for more entertaining material. What we're left with is occasionally entertaining, but pretty ill-conceived. Play it to the Bone is watchable and fun, but it's an exhibition fight, not to be archived in the classics. 6 out of 10, slightly above average.
boondocksaint20
All in all, this is an okay film. The plot is very simple, and the characters are fairly interesting. I understand that this movie is supposed to be about second chances, but I couldn't help but think after the movie's very predictable ending, what the hell was the point of the movie? What was the epiphany reached, and what was the point of characters like Lucy Liu being in the story? 90% of the film is spent during the car ride to Vegas, which is good and bad, it gives a personal touch to a movie, yet does get kind of old after a while. I like Woody Harelson's character b\c I can relate to him in a lot of respects. One thing I found unrealistic, no chick would ever ditch Antonio 'de sexy' Banderas, I almost laughed when she 'broke up' with him. Antonio also looked a little weak for a boxer, but the fight scene in the end was not effected by it. The end is actually the best part of the movie, yet it is very predictable. Overall, not a bad friday night movie if you have some time to kill and a few beers to pounce. 6/10
