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Movies / On DVD / Play it to the Bone
Play it to the Bone

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Play it to the Bone (1999)

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Reviews Counted:78

Fresh:9

Rotten:69

Average Rating:3.9/10

Consensus: Flat characters and uninspired comedy yield forgettable results.

Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: In the latest film from writer/director Ron Shelton, Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas star as best friends and professional boxing rivals Vince Boudreau and Caesar Dominguez, both of whom... In the latest film from writer/director Ron Shelton, Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas star as best friends and professional boxing rivals Vince Boudreau and Caesar Dominguez, both of whom haven't worked in years. Finally, from out of the blue, they get the chance of a lifetime: an assignment to work together in Vegas. The job promises big money, but there's a hitch: They have to be there NOW. They quickly hit the road with Grace Pasic (Lolita Davidovich) at the wheel, embarking on a circuitous route through the sizzling desert. Sparks fly as the competitive Vince and Caesar antagonize each other to a frenzy, matched only by Grace's own combative temper. The going gets rougher when they pick up sultry hitchhiker Lia (Lucy Liu), whose presence throws the trio into further upheaval. A riotous race ensues as Vince and Caesar scramble to make it to Vegas for their big showdown.

They quickly hit the road with Grace Pasic (Lolita Davidovich) at the wheel, embarking on a circuitous route through the sizzling desert. Sparks fly as the competitive Vince and Caesar antagonize each other to a frenzy, matched only by Grace's own combative temper.

The going gets rougher when they pick up sultry hitchhiker Lia (Lucy Liu), whose presence throws the trio into further upheaval. A riotous race ensues as Vince and Caesar scramble to make it to Vegas for their big showdown. [More]

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Antonio Banderas, Lolita Davidovich, Tom Sizemore

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Antonio Banderas, Lolita Davidovich, Tom Sizemore, Lucy Liu, Robert Wagner

Director: Ron Shelton

Director: Ron Shelton
Screenwriter: Ron Shelton
Producer: Stephen Chin
Composer: Alex Wurman

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Jun 13, 2000

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Play It To The Bone
  • Hollywood heavyweights Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas bring real comedic punch to this hilarious, action-packed hit! Best buddies and sparring partners, Vince (Harrelson) and Cesar (Banderas) are a pair of worn-out, over-the-hill prizefighters who jump at one last, unexpected chance to work in the big time. They just have to be in Las Vegas now! So before they know what's hit them, they're on the road! But when they step into the ring that night, friendship is replaced by fierce competition as Vince and Cesar tangle in a dramatic fight to the finish -- where only the winner will earn a shot at the title! With sexy Lolita Davidovich (MYSTERY, ALASKA) and sultry Lucy Liu (CHARLIE'S ANGELS) along to liven up the ride, you won't want to miss any of the knockout entertainment that powers this whirlwind comedy adventure!
  • Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Play it to the Bone

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    1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
    Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
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    The movie seems strained, tired, and forced.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Victoria Alexander
    Victoria Alexander
    FilmsInReview.com

    picture never quite pops.

    Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Ross Anthony
    Ross Anthony
    Hollywood Report Card

    None of the film's humor works.

    Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    William Arnold
    William Arnold
    Seattle Post-Intelligencer

    There is something mean-spirited here, something that leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth.

    Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Edvins Beitiks
    Edvins Beitiks
    San Francisco Examiner

    A mediocre sports movie crossed with a bad road picture.

    Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    James Berardinelli
    James Berardinelli
    ReelViews
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Lands with the thud of a ineffective body shot, largely because Shelton's formula has worn transparently thin.

    Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Rob Blackwelder
    Rob Blackwelder
    SPLICEDWire

    Play It to the Bone is wildly uneven, but the good parts outweigh the bad.

    Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Jay Boyar
    Jay Boyar
    Orlando Sentinel

    Play It to the Bone isn't going to be a contender.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Jay Carr
    Jay Carr
    Boston Globe
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    The film's slowly emerging weakness -- the thinness of the characters, particularly Harrelson's -- becomes apparent to the point of distraction.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Nick Carter
    Nick Carter
    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    Instead of a sharp satire of a subject ripe for parody--professional boxing--we get a tedious, unfunny road movie.

    Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Michael Dequina
    Michael Dequina
    TheMovieReport.com

    If the slow moving pace of this movie (from the road to the ring) doesn't get to you, an annoying performance by Lolita Davidovich will.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Kellam Eanes
    Kellam Eanes
    TNT's Rough Cut

    Doesn't have enough of a boxing story to occupy the running time.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Roger Ebert
    Roger Ebert
    Chicago Sun-Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Dazed and confused.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    David Ehrenstein
    David Ehrenstein
    New Times

    It's a long ride.

    Full Review Source: Nitrate Online | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Cynthia Fuchs
    Cynthia Fuchs
    Nitrate Online

    Instead of a Raging Bull, he's created a mooing cow.

    Full Review Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Jack Garner
    Jack Garner
    Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

    By the end, the fight means everything to them and virtually nothing to us.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Owen Gleiberman
    Owen Gleiberman
    Entertainment Weekly
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Definitely wasn't worth the drive.

    Full Review Source: IFilm | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Eric Gordon
    Eric Gordon
    IFilm

    A lusty story of friendship and rivalry in the ring and in affairs of the heart.

    Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Louis B. Hobson
    Louis B. Hobson
    Jam! Movies

    Play It to the Bone is so constrained by its formulaic plot that the movie's juicy, freewheeling dialogue feels shoehorned into a story that makes more sense mathematically than psychologically.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Stephen Holden
    Stephen Holden
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Much to be desired.

    Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    JoBlo
    JoBlo
    JoBlo's Movie Emporium
     
     
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