Something anyone attempting to craft a biopic should keep in mind: it’s not enough to have a compelling real-life story. That’s advice that the team behind Hands of Stone should’ve kept in mind. At the center of the story is Roberto Duran (Edgar Ramirez), notable as one of the toughest fighters in history. The film takes the long view of Duran’s life, from his humble beginnings through his defeat of Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher Raymond IV) in 1980, past his brief retirement and eventual return. Even here, the film suggests a fascinating subject, due in no small part to Ramirez’s dynamic performance. But the film covers far too much ground, and includes some rather clumsy dialogue and sloppy editing (an issue not helped by superior fighting movies in recent years like Creed and even Southpaw). Duran is an interesting subject, and deserves a better film than this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W1L0WnVnjY

Hands of Stone • Rating: R (for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity) • Runtime: 105 minutes • Genre: Drama • Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Robert De Niro, Usher Raymond IV, Ana de Armas, Ellen Barkin, John Turturro • Director: Jonathan Jakubowicz • Writer: Jonathan Jakubowicz • Distributor: The Weinstein Company