Grudge Match - C

Rated PG-13, 113 minutes

A fine cast goes down for the count in predictable "Grudge Match"

Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro

It's "Rocky" versus "Raging Bull" in the new comedy that's as old and tired as its two stars. Two retired Pittsburgh boxers (Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro) settle a long-standing beef and hope to settle some debts by heading back into the ring one more time. Admittedly, there are a handful of few fun moments, mostly sarcastic one-liners, in the lazy "Grudge Match" but it grows redundant and weary by the end. Directed by Peter Segal ("Get Smart") this must have seemed much funnier in premise than what actually appears on screen, as many of the jokes may be lost on younger viewers unfamiliar with "Rocky" or "Raging Bull." The immensely likeable cast, including Stallone, DeNiro, not to mention comedian Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger and Alan Arkin are mostly wasted; Basinger seems lost, Arkin is his usually cranky self while the overrated Hart just mostly screams his lines. You have a sense of where this is going faster than you can countdown from 10, but there are a few entertaining moments as Stallone and DeNiro trade barbs inside and outside the ring (and honestly, these guys really are much too old for something like this, even in comedic form). The mildly enjoyable but forgettable "Grudge Match" could've been much better, and the ubiquitous DeNiro in particular seems to phone it in, but it's worth a look for a couple of laughs.

Wes's Grade: C