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IMDbPro

Play It to the Bone

  • 1999
  • R
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
12K
YOUR RATING
Promo Poster
ComedyDramaSport

Two best friends and former middleweight contenders travel to Las Vegas to fight each other for the first time.Two best friends and former middleweight contenders travel to Las Vegas to fight each other for the first time.Two best friends and former middleweight contenders travel to Las Vegas to fight each other for the first time.

  • Director
    • Ron Shelton
  • Writer
    • Ron Shelton
  • Stars
    • Woody Harrelson
    • Antonio Banderas
    • Lolita Davidovich
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    12K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ron Shelton
    • Writer
      • Ron Shelton
    • Stars
      • Woody Harrelson
      • Antonio Banderas
      • Lolita Davidovich
    • 62User reviews
    • 54Critic reviews
    • 32Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Woody Harrelson Never Knew Kevin Costner Was in This Film
    Video 1:15
    Watch Woody Harrelson Never Knew Kevin Costner Was in This Film

    Photos81

    Antonio Banderas, Lolita Davidovich, and Woody Harrelson in Play It to the Bone (1999)
    Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson in Play It to the Bone (1999)
    Cesar, Vince & Grace
    Vince, Lia & Cesar
    Vince &Cesar fight over Grace
    Vince and Cesar get instruction from the ref (Darrel Foster), flanked by their trainers, played by Eloy Casados (left) and Henry G. Sanders (right).  Famed ring announcer, Michael Buffer stands behind the ref.
    Vince and Cesar go at it
    Vince and Cesar go at it
    Vince & Cesar
    Writer/director Ron Shelton with producer Stephen Chin
    Antonio Banderas at an event for Play It to the Bone (1999)
    Kevin Costner, Annie Costner, and Lily Costner at an event for Play It to the Bone (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Woody Harrelson
    Woody Harrelson
    • Vince Boudreau
    Antonio Banderas
    Antonio Banderas
    • Cesar Dominguez
    Lolita Davidovich
    Lolita Davidovich
    • Grace Pasic
    Marie Park
    Marie Park
    • Waitress in Cafe
    Tom Sizemore
    Tom Sizemore
    • Joe Domino
    Lucy Liu
    Lucy Liu
    • Lia
    Robert Wagner
    Robert Wagner
    • Hank Goody
    Richard Masur
    Richard Masur
    • Artie
    Willie Garson
    Willie Garson
    • Cappie Caplan
    Cylk Cozart
    • Rudy
    Jack Carter
    Jack Carter
    • Dante Solomon
    Aida Turturro
    Aida Turturro
    • Mad Greek Waitress
    Louie Leonardo
    Louie Leonardo
    • Freddy Green
    Slade Barnett
    • Vegas Cop
    Cameron Milzer
    • Vegas Paramedic
    Julio García
    • Chiquito Rosario
    John Ortiz
    John Ortiz
    • Gym Owner
    Jordy Oakland
    • Julie
    • Director
      • Ron Shelton
    • Writer
      • Ron Shelton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As well as Mike Tyson, several famous faces from the world of boxing make cameo appearances in this movie, former champion George Foreman, commentators Jim Lamply and Larry Merchant, and trainer Teddy Atlas.
    • Goofs
      When driving to Las Vegas, Grace is constantly driving the car over the double yellow line and across it as if she is being towed by the camera truck.
    • Quotes

      Vince Boudreau: If a man builds a thousand bridges and sucks one dick, they don't call him a bridge-builder... they call him a cocksucker.

    • Alternate versions
      Italian and German theatrical release are approx. 15 minutes shorter than the original US version, removing one sex scene and some dialogue.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Worst Films of 1999 (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      Here's to Life
      Music by Artie Butler

      Lyrics by Phyllis Molinary

      Performed by Jacintha

    User reviews62

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Disappointing effort from master of sports movies
    The story goes that Ron Shelton wanted to make a biopic of Bob Marley, but the financing fell through, and in a few weeks time, he wrote this boxing film. "That's okay," you think. "This is Ron Shelton. Sure, he co-wrote THE GREAT WHITE HYPE, which was disappointing, but he didn't direct that one. He did write and direct BULL DURHAM, WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP, COBB, and TIN CUP(well, he co-wrote the last one, but let's not split hairs), all great sports movies, so he could probably do a boxing movie in his sleep." Well, unfortunately, that's what he seems to have done in this disappointing movie.

    Shelton was reportedly inspired by a true-life fight where the preliminary match also turned out to be much more compelling than the featured attraction, which would seem tailor-made for him. And like the other Shelton heroes, the characters of Vince(Harrelson) and Cesar(Banderas) aren't among the great ones, though they've flirted with greatness. Finally, certainly the idea is right in place, that the point is not who of these best friends wins the fight(without revealing the ending, I will say it's not only logical, but feels right), but the fact they each got this last shot and put on a good show. The problem, until the fight scenes, is the execution.

    Shelton usually has a gift for dialogue and character, especially when romantic comedy is concerned, but he seems to have mislaid it here. Vince and Cesar are pretty much ciphers from the beginning, despite the obvious chemistry Harrelson and Banderas have between them. There are traits which are mildly funny(like the fact that a boxer would watch soaps), but nothing that adds up. Even the fact that Vince is a "Jesus" freak seems incoherent rather than part of the character. And the dialogue between them, except in the scenes when they're talking at the same time, seems lame, relying on easy homophobia and vulgarity rather than being funny(compare that to the clever trash talk in WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP). And even when Davidovich enters the picture, though she gamely tries, she's got nothing to work with, and seems oddly mismatched with Banderas. Harrelson at least she seems comfortable with, but they don't have enough scenes together.

    The fight scenes are where Shelton finally comes alive. The behind-the-scenes details of how the fight gets into place and such are familiar, but well-handled. And the fight is compelling to us, so it's believable that the rest of the arena would find it so as well. We see the fighters being given advice, but since they think they know each other, they sometimes ignore it to do their own thing. And you really believe at the end they're both fighting on pure adrenaline. Even Davidovich becomes believable here as she realizes she loves both of them, and while she understands they need this, can't bear to watch them hurt each other. Yet even here, Shelton messes up. There are too many T&A shots, which are supposed to reflect how the fighters' minds are fogged up, but are more likely there to get people to hoot. Ultimately, I hope this is a blip on Shelton's career, rather than a sign he's losing it.
    helpful•8
    2
    • SKG-2
    • Jan 27, 2000

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 21, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Play It
    • Filming locations
      • Baker, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Play It Inc.
      • Shanghai'd Films
      • Touchstone Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $24,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,434,146
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,366
      • Dec 26, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,678,812
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 4 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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