Ironically, the fight scenes give this movie the only spark. The intensity, the grit, the blood, the pain of ring sequences held us in rapt attention from minute to minute. We saw these fellas search deep and "play it to the bone" as they slugged it out through knockdowns, deepening cuts, and heavy bruises. The camera work was superb, and the tension and excitement swelled as the crowd straggled in late only to stand and cheer in orgiastic lust for more punches.

Preceding the fight is the long drive from Los Angeles to Vegas. Because neither Vince (Harrelson) nor Cesar (Banderas) own a car, they cajole Grace (Davidovich), Cesar’s girlfriend and Vince’s ex-girlfriend, to take them. She owns a shiny, rigged out racing Olds. The plot doesn’t give a convincing enough argument for why they are not flown in by the promoters of the match. The drive seems like an excuse to give these guys ample time to tell us their "sad" histories about the glory they "almost" achieved, and to bring out the conflicts surrounding their relationship with Grace and each other, so that they could really have a reason to beat each other up in the ring. 

And, then of course, there is the car, which demanded at least some speed and dust trailing behind it, but the car drifts along at what seems like 40 miles per hour as if Mothers Against Fast Driving censored the movie.

We have enjoyed several movies lately where an older woman takes charge of relationships in a romantic, business, or motivational aspect. Certainly, Grace could have been such a character, but no amount of Lolita Davidovich’s talent or beauty can save a story that’s headed nowhere.