The movie seems strained, tired, and forced.
Play it to the Bone (1999)
Tomatometer
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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.
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
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Release:
Jun 13, 2000
Reviews for Play it to the Bone
There is something mean-spirited here, something that leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth.
Lands with the thud of a ineffective body shot, largely because Shelton's formula has worn transparently thin.
Play It to the Bone is wildly uneven, but the good parts outweigh the bad.
The film's slowly emerging weakness -- the thinness of the characters, particularly Harrelson's -- becomes apparent to the point of distraction.
Instead of a sharp satire of a subject ripe for parody--professional boxing--we get a tedious, unfunny road movie.
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.
A lusty story of friendship and rivalry in the ring and in affairs of the heart.
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.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
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