'HANDS OF STONE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
A sports biopic, based on the life of professional boxing legend Roberto Duran. The film stars Edgar Ramirez, Robert De Niro, Ana de Armas, Usher Raymond IV, Ellen Barkin and Ruben Blades. It was written and directed by Venezuelan filmmaker Jonathan Jakubowicz (in his English-language film debut). The movie has received mixed reviews from critics, and it's been a bomb at the Box Office. I think it's a decent boxing film, and biopic, but nothing spectacular.
The story focuses on the relationship between professional boxer Roberto Duran (Ramirez), and his trainer (who's equally legendary) Ray Parcel (De Niro). The two had a troubled relationship (at times), but one that equally involved a lot of respect; and both men learned a lot from each other. The movie begins with Parcel discovering Duran, in an early fight, it then goes to flashbacks of Duran growing up in Panama. The film also focuses on Duran's relationships with his estranged father (Eliud Kauffman), his wife Felicidad Iglesias (Armas), and legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (Raymond IV). It also (very dramatically) depicts the two epic fights between Duran and Leonard.
The movie is about as slow-paced, and aimless feeling, as most biopics; but it does have it's moments. The fight scenes, between Duran and Leonard, are pretty well done; they're both intense and involving. The performances are mostly decent (especially Ramirez and De Niro), but Duran was not a very likable guy (not according to this movie). It's hard to root for someone like that; but the film does do a pretty good job of showing all the hardships he had to go through (so some of his unpleasantness is understandable).
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIFMQ3xbt9g
A sports biopic, based on the life of professional boxing legend Roberto Duran. The film stars Edgar Ramirez, Robert De Niro, Ana de Armas, Usher Raymond IV, Ellen Barkin and Ruben Blades. It was written and directed by Venezuelan filmmaker Jonathan Jakubowicz (in his English-language film debut). The movie has received mixed reviews from critics, and it's been a bomb at the Box Office. I think it's a decent boxing film, and biopic, but nothing spectacular.
The story focuses on the relationship between professional boxer Roberto Duran (Ramirez), and his trainer (who's equally legendary) Ray Parcel (De Niro). The two had a troubled relationship (at times), but one that equally involved a lot of respect; and both men learned a lot from each other. The movie begins with Parcel discovering Duran, in an early fight, it then goes to flashbacks of Duran growing up in Panama. The film also focuses on Duran's relationships with his estranged father (Eliud Kauffman), his wife Felicidad Iglesias (Armas), and legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (Raymond IV). It also (very dramatically) depicts the two epic fights between Duran and Leonard.
The movie is about as slow-paced, and aimless feeling, as most biopics; but it does have it's moments. The fight scenes, between Duran and Leonard, are pretty well done; they're both intense and involving. The performances are mostly decent (especially Ramirez and De Niro), but Duran was not a very likable guy (not according to this movie). It's hard to root for someone like that; but the film does do a pretty good job of showing all the hardships he had to go through (so some of his unpleasantness is understandable).
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIFMQ3xbt9g