Hands of Stone

Raging Bull star Robert De Niro returns to the boxing ring—this time as Ray Arcel, a legendary trainer who coached welterweight boxer Roberto Durán in the 1970s. An impoverished 16-year-old from Panama, Durán (Édgar Ramírez) made his professional debut in 1968 and retired in 2002 at the age of 50. But his story here begins at Madison Square Garden in 1971, when Arcel first saw Durán fight. “Ring sense is an art,” Arcel says. “A gift from God that flows out of a fighter like a painting that flows out of an artist.” Arcel felt that Durán had great potential—if he could master boxing strategy. Duran's nickname was “Manos de Piedra” (Hands of Stone), although he was undisciplined and self-defeating. In June, 1980, Durán defeated cocky Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher Raymond) to claim the WBC welterweight title, but in their subsequent November rematch, he stunned the boxing world with bizarre behavior that would later be attributed to PTSD, stemming from being abandoned by his American father. Venezuelan writer-director Jonathan Jakubowicz delivers a fragmented, often incongruous, rags-to-riches biographical narrative that superficially includes Durán's courtship of his impressionable schoolgirl wife (Ana de Armas) and the births of their five children. Unfortunately, Hands of Stone—despite some solid acting and fancy footwork—lacks focus, with many underdeveloped subplots. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the profile featurette “Roberto Durán: A Boxing Legend, A Nation's Pride” (24 min.), deleted scenes (11 min.), and two lyric video versions of the “Champions” theme song by Usher and by Ruben Blades. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing sports film.] (S. Granger)