Michael Ledo This is a biopic of Roberto Durán (Edgar Ramírez). It shows Durán in Panama as a child and incorporates the background of US/Panama relations. As an adult the film concentrates on his relationship with Jewish trainer Ray Arcel (Robert De Niro) who acts more like a life coach, whispering the fight strategy into Durán's ear right before the bout. How about "The Boxer Whisperer" for a title? It is a bit like the "Rocky" series as we see Durán rise up hungry from the streets and winning in a close decision. He then goes on a winner's binge and parties too much, only to lose to Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher Raymond). Durán regains the "Eye of the Tiger" by fighting in a prison. I guess there are only so many variations a boxer's life we can actually have. At least they spared us the training music montage. The film implies Roberto Durán's trash talking was a strategy to get inside another fighter's head.In addition to representing the pride, joy and hope of Panama, Roberto Durán also represented its anger and embarrassment. It was an interesting film, and of course has a lot of ring fighting.Guide: F-word, sex, and nudity (Ana de Armas)

meeza You have been warned. There will be plenty of pun jabs in this review, but please don't count me out yet. Roberto Duran, the legendary Panamanian boxer, is in the center ring in Writer-Director Jonathan Jakobuwicz' bio pic "Hands of Stone". Jakobuwicz features Duran Duran, and more of Duran; I just did that so I could include one of my favorite bands of all time in this review. Anyways, Edgar Ramirez stars as Duran in a bit over-the-top performance but still had a few uppercuts in his work. The film features Duran as a child living in the Panamanian slums, and then as a young man who loved the boxing game, next his eventual rise into the ring, and lastly his legendary battles with boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard. Jakobuwicz also presents Duran's personal life in his relationship with his girlfriend and then wife Felicidad. But this movie is very much also about Duran's seasoned trainer Ray Arcel, who is played with plenty of punch by the great Robert DeNiro. Arcel had a wealth of experience training champion boxers, but ran into a mob squad that physically & mentally forced him out of boxing. Years later, Arcel discovers Duran, and thought it was time to get back in. There is no doubt that Jakobuwicz does get a bit showy in several of the film's scenes; but you know what, I found them to be in the ropes of "guilty pleasure" watching. DeNiro, who needs no training in the thespian world, was brilliant as Arcel. I also enjoyed the first card supporting work from John Turturro as a mobster, Ruben Blades as Duran's manager, and Usher (yes, that Usher) as Sugar Ray Leonard. Sure, there lots of cheesy stuff in "Hands of Stone" that have a familiar ring to it, and yes I do think many will be sparring partners of mine by disagreeing with me on that it was an entertaining bio flick; but I don't see why you should not go head to head and eye to eye with "Hands of Stone". **** Good

adonis98-743-186503 The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other's lives. Hands of Stone suffers from a poor storyline and a leading actor who just doesn't have enough charisma to hold the movie together as for Robert De Niro who plays his trainer he is alright but not even he can't save this film it's boring, lousy and unoriginal this is also a genre that the audience has seen so much and honestly they have got tired of and so have i you simply can't make another Rocky Saga or even a Raging Bull you just can't i was expecting a great film but i was very disappointed and that's why i'm gonna give Hands of Stone an 4/10

Reno Rangan A biographical sports film directed by some Venezuelan filmmaker and actor Edgar Ramirez in the lead with De Niro in a supporting role. This is the story of a famous boxer from Panama, Roberto Duran. Takes place during the 1980s, when protest was intensified to free Panama canal from the US control. Duran was interested in boxing since he was a little and then he was helped by a local small time coach. But when his professional fight begins to take off big, he required someone who can handle him at the big stages. So that's where a former American boxer comes in and what happens between them, followed by how Duran's life turns out is what covered in the rest.Biographies are always good to watch. Sometimes it inspires, how those persons struggled to achieve something big. But this film was just okay, similar to most of the sports films. I did not dislike the story, I did not like how it was made. All I wanted was a better screenplay and it kind of failed on that part. The actors are the best thing in this. Both De Niro and Ramirez were decent, though expected big. Those 80s atmospheres were so good, but the stunt choreography was average. As based on a real person, it is a good film, though watching it for entertainment is a little disappointment. Overall, definitely worth a try.7/10