January 21, 2000
Web posted at: 2:37 p.m. EST (1937 GMT)

By Reviewer Paul Clinton

(CNN) -- Ron Shelton has long been known in Hollywood as "the sports guy." It's a label this former minor league baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles (1967-1971) has earned.

His films about athletes cover a wide range of sports. His best movie ever was 1988's "Bull Durham," about minor league baseball. In 1992, he introduced us to the world of pickup basketball in "White Men Can't Jump." 1994's "Cobb" gave us the real-life story about baseball great Ty Cobb. He took on the game of golf in 1996 with "Tin Cup."

Now, with "Play It to the Bone," he's throwing his hat into the boxing ring.

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Shelton's films inevitably provide wry, and at times poignant, portrayals of aging athletes who never quite make it in their chosen field of dreams. They're guys who've outlived their usefulness and are on the downward slope of their careers. "Play It to the Bone," which Shelton wrote and directed, follows this pattern.

Unfortunately, the aging-jock formula that worked so brilliantly for Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" (and to a lesser degree in "Tin Cup") doesn't pack much of a punch here. But anyone who follows film probably knows that, with rare exception, nothing good is released in January. This winter month following the holidays (and the deadline for Oscar consideration), is very often the graveyard for feature films that appear D.O.A. at the box office.

"Play It to the Bone" stars Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas as Vince Boudreau and Cesar Dominguez, two middleweight boxers who share a love of the sport. They work out at the same gym in Los Angeles. They've even dated the same woman, Grace Pasic, played by Lolita Davidovich (Shelton's real-life fiancee).

The actions begin when a Las Vegas fight promoter, Joe Domino, (Tom Sizemore phoning in an eye-bugging, vein-popping performance), needs a last-minute warmup for his main event (Mike Tyson plays a cameo here). Domino turns to our aging pugilists, Boudreau and Dominguez, who eagerly agree to fight each other. This match supposedly comes with a guaranteed shot at the middleweight title for the winner.

The unlikely trio, with Grace behind the wheel, takes off on this road trip to Nevada to meet a date with destiny. The trip sets up the dynamics among the characters and informs the audience of their various histories, including their brushes with success and failure.

As the journey progresses, tensions become increasingly heightened between the two men as they compete for Grace's attention while psyching themselves for their last chance at glory. The film's climax is a knock-down, drag-out, bloody fight between the two stars, reaching a predictable conclusion.

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As in the past, Shelton has created a buddy film with a strong, mature woman at the center of the action. In "Bull Durham" it was Susan Sarandon. In "Tin Cup" it was Rene Russo. Rosie Perez filled that role in "White Men Can't Jump." Now it's Davidovich's turn. She gives it her all, and the film is at its best when she's on screen.

While there is some great Sheltonish dialogue sprinkled here and there, so much of this script seems mechanical. Then it completely loses its rhythm when Grace, not wanting to play favorites, suddenly goes back and forth between the two men -- like a demented pingpong ball -- during the final fight scene.

While Shelton once again may be working in his favorite sweat-drenched playground, this time he's got a lot more to lose.

His last project, a movie about the late Jamaican reggae performer Bob Marley, became entangled in development hell. Fed up with working in the studio system, Shelton wrote "Play It to the Bone" in two weeks and took an 80 percent pay cut. He also convinced Banderas and Harrelson to do the same in exchange for a percentage of the film's profits (if there are any).

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This suddenly independent filmmaker shot the movie in 47 days and arranged his own distribution with Touchstone Pictures. The whole process, from beginning to end, took less than a year, something unheard of at a major studio.

Shelton should be applauded for his gamble. Too bad he's made a movie with no characters to care about.

Bottom line: "Play It to the Bone" has its moments, but ultimately it's down for the count.

"Play It to the Bone," previously in limited release, is in national release starting January 21. It's rated R for brutal ring violence, strong sexuality including dialogue, nudity, pervasive language and some drug content. 124 minutes.