Hands of Stone
At age 72, legendary trainer Ray Arcel (Robert De Niro) comes out of retirement to coach world-class Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán (Édgar Ramírez). The movie details the relationships between Duran, Ray, his wife Felicidad, manager Carlos Eleta, friend 'Chaflan' and foe Sugar Ray Leonard.
4 May 1975, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
16 April 1954, The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
January 01, 2017
A hard-nosed biopic of the Panamanian prizefighter Roberto Duran, Hands of Stone is primarily a showcase for Edgar Ramirez.December 08, 2016
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a sports movie in possession of a good story, must be a boxing movie.August 27, 2016
There are some engaging asides about Arcel's struggles with boxing's dirty underbelly, but they feel like they belong to a different movie. (De Niro's superfluous and soporific voiceover, however, belongs in no movie whatsoever.)December 05, 2016
Though the scenes in the ring are the equal of any, the drama progresses rather like something we have all seen before.August 26, 2016
"Hands of Stone" is less like a boxing flick and more like a professional wrestling battle royale with all its different subplots angling for main event status.August 27, 2016
Traditional and uninspired, it does an adequate job of relating Duran's story but falls short of providing an engaging cinematic experience.August 26, 2016
It's engaging, sure, with some fast-paced and capable fight sequences.August 26, 2016
In trying to encompass way too much, Hands of Stone ends up feeling superficial and unsatisfying.December 20, 2016
Although the film has all the ingredients of a boxing drama, the editing isn't interesting and only offers a set of irregular images. [Full review in Spanish]November 15, 2016
As far as bio-pics go -- especially of still-living subjects -- we could not hope for anything more candid.December 31, 2016
All this cacophony of backstory ends up being counterproductive, especially when the film tries to convey what makes this fighter worthy of tribute (or forgiveness or reconsideration, depending on your perspective).December 06, 2016
Hands of Stone is a serviceable, reasonably entertaining biopic of Roberto Durán, with first rate performances that elevate it above its pedestrian execution.