Comments Thread For: Boxing Without Boxing: Hands of Stone

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Cliff Rold - Given the number of times boxing has made its way to the silver screen, it's inevitable the portrayals will be a mixed bag. Biographical depictions are particularly tricky. Non-fiction means facts conveyed often to an audience that may have lived through the moments they are watching be retold. The idea of dramatic license is understood...
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[Thuglife Nelo]

Good read. The problem with Hands of Stone is that by design it couldn't be RAW as it should have. Though it could simply be the Director's style and knowledge of the sport. I thought DeNiro's performance was rather dull. Edgar Ramirez should've been more ******... This type of review is too deep for Rotten Tomatoes. I haven't seen that Edwin Valero film. Would like to hear a Doug Fischer review of it, if it looked the part.

[ArturoBalboa]

I was massively looking forward to this film and was quite disappointed by it. Most of the boxing movies I’ve watched end up being a let down after months anticipating their release. The Vinny Paz biopic Bleed For This, was average at best and the Creed films, while enjoyable, don’t hold a candle to the original rocky films.

I loved raging bull and Cinderella man, the only other boxing movie I could recommend would be a British one called Jawbone.
Going to watch the Netflix series Monzon and will see how that goes and I’m also interested in giving the Valero film a go if I can get hold of it.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Starting another career as a film critic, Cliff? Lol Thanks for the review. Although I’ve been a fan of Duran for years, “Hands of Stone“ never really caught my interest, not after the weak reception it got. Your review solidified that feeling. I’m a big film buff; I feel that artistically speaking, “Raging Bull” is the best boxing-related movie ever, but the original “Rocky” is my favorite. It’s tough to find something new to say in this sub-genre at this point; so many films have focused on boxing.

[a.rihn]

Nice review. Really like the attention paid to the in/accuracies in the movie. (Neil de Grasse Tyson has done that for science in movies - neat to see similar done with boxing movies).

I really enjoyed the movie myself. I liked the perspective it gave on US imperialism, as respected its inclusion of a decent amount of Spanish - both moves that might have made it less "commercial" for US audiences.

I could be off base here, but my understanding is that Duran himself wasn't too connected to the production - that he didn't make much/any money from it. For me, that's a major concern for movies based on fighters (especially who are still living). There is already plenty of exploitation in the sport, I hate to see it continued in legacy pictures.

[aaronbnb]

Review Play It To The Bone

[crold1]

Review Play It To The Bone

Taking requests...but I remember not liking that movie much so not sure I want to watch it again. Name something I haven't seen though and that's more likely.

[b Murphington]

Review Play It To The Bone

I love me some Woody, but this movie was average at best. It’s essentially a road trip dramedy with a little bit of boxing at the end. The boxing we do get, is so OVERLY dramatic, that they lost me. It boarders on ridiculous. The humor didn’t really hit.

I’d perfer the Great White Hype if we are looking for a comedy boxing movie.

[b Murphington]

Taking requests...but I remember not liking that movie much so not sure I want to watch it again. Name something I haven't seen though and that's more likely.

I’d love to see a review of Great White Hype.

I think it’s a pretty accurate portrayal of a behind the scenes look at boxing, even if exaggerated for comedic purposes.

[bulldognyc]

Taking requests...but I remember not liking that movie much so not sure I want to watch it again. Name something I haven't seen though and that's more likely.

I’m going to search for the title of this Korean movie I once saw based on the young mad who tragically passed after his fight with ray boom boom Mancini. Maybe caught a decade ago. But it made a powerful impression on me. Worth a watch cliff. Love your writing. Keep up the great work.