In an effort to capture the real life events and story of a boxing legend, Hands of Stone (Writer-director Jonathan Jakubowicz: Secuestro Express 2005, Profugos 2011) narrates the twists and turns of Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran (Edgar Ramirez: The Bourne Ultimatum 2007, Point Break 2015), his trainer Ray Arcel (Robert De Niro: Goodfellas 1990, Joy 2015), and his legendary and life-changing fight with Sugar Ray (Usher: Producer for Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, 2011).
In this effort, Hands of Stone breaks the mold on everything a protagonist is expected to be as the hero of their own story. Roberto Duran is characterized and portrayed in an extremely balanced manner; he is wholly human though historically super-human in the ring. A character wrought with pride that almost overshadowed his talent, the plot focuses heavily on his contending with himself and Sugar Ray, and their epic battle in the ring in the 1980s. Ray Arcel was an aging trainer with many success stories showing him to be patient, humble, caring, and flawed. Sugar Ray, though not a main character, is a huge influence on the story and is portrayed as the real life charismatic and charming man he was. The background characters in the story really add substance to it, as they are vibrant and dimensional even without being leads.
The film begins Duran’s story with emphasis on his rough childhood, giving viewers a glimpse into where he began boxing and how his origins greatly affected the man he is in the story all the way up until he is married, has children, and even disgraces his own reputation. The other half of the plot line maintains Ray Arcel’s own struggle to train raw talent with a bad attitude, while balancing out his own struggles with aging and family. Both characters must come to terms with their worst qualities and the people around them that are impacted by their decisions.
Usher makes an acting debut here, looking almost identical to legendary Sugar Ray, and capturing all of his real life charisma on the silver screen. Ramirez is an incredible talent and was the perfect choice in casting for the role of Roberto Duran; his efforts to capture the personality of such a strong willed and flawed character really shine through in this film. Though equally strong, De Niro’s portrayal of Ray Arcel does not overshadow the skill of his co-star, instead enhancing it. The emotional journey of the characters is tangible and relatable even though they are in a career that most viewers of the film are not in, there is empathy for the characters established, and that is a key element in any narration.
Though the production value and acting is incredible, the initial issue seems to be a lack of focus. In the attempt to remain true to detail, the plot becomes a bit confused on who is the protagonist of the story somewhere between Roberto Duran and Ray Arcel’s own storylines. Though the plot overarches in this manner, the characterization is so well done and the actors have so much substance that it does not really change the full effect the film has on the viewer. Jakubowicz maintains integrity in his cinema as much of the scenery and filming took place in Panama and the United States, with a Venezuelan lead in a time where Hollywood typically white-washes their actors and films in America.
With the use of interesting perspective for filming and a slow build for realism, the movie truly has a sense of self and is unmistakably its own. The scene changes and film style grants the viewer a gritty and sensible perspective. There is no doubt that when someone sits down to watch Hands of Stone, they can recognize it from any point in the movie due to such unique film style and perspective; the mark of a great director.
The release date for Hands of Stone is August 26th, 2016 and is a film that any boxing fan or even movie lover should see for many reasons; excellent acting, realistic storytelling, and eye-catching cinematic value. Overall, though the story lacks focus, the efforts to get the plot across are subtle and emotionally a journey. That being said, CrypticRock gives Hands of Stone 4 out of 5 stars.
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