Watching Stallone and DeNiro trade the oldest jokes in movie history for a couple hours is like watching two old pros handling a customer at a car sales lot.  It’s engaging at first but after a while, a tiring experience and one that needs to be retired soon.

Don’t get me wrong here, there were times in this comedy that I laughed and enjoyed myself.  I would be lying though if I said it was worth paying full admission for at a movie theater.  There is simply too much fine entertainment at the movies right now to send you to this A.A.R.P. boxing party.

The experience isn’t dreadful and could make some easygoing movie couple’s night.  Alda makes a fine comic replacement for Mickey.   Basinger returns to the big screen to the play the flame that got away.  Hart brings a few laughs and energy but wears you down by the halfway mark.  Stallone and DeNiro are fine comic actors but they seem to be going through the motions and are bored by the material.  

Stallone is the old grunt who quit boxing for a blue collar job while DeNiro’s party animal never slowed down.   For me, it would have made for a far more interesting movie to see the two screen legends switch the roles and play against type.

When I think of this movie, The Bucket List comes to mind.   In that film, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson played their classic personas on screen.   One was proud and stout and the other was a wise cracking party animal.  If they had switched the personalities, the film may have been more interesting.

Instead, we get a very predictable, meandering and lackluster comedy that’s a little too old fashioned for its own good.

Grudge Match can be enjoyed at home with the comfort of a couch and a variety of inexpensive treats.  It’s holiday release makes sense because fans of the two heavyweights will flock to it for a dose of light comedy and they won’t be completely disappointed. With the right low expectations, the film is adequate enough.  Sly and DeNiro in a boxing movie..fugadaboutit!