Hands of Stone

Hands of Stone is a 2016 biographical sports drama about Panamanian boxing legend Roberto Durán, played by Edgar Ramírez, and the veteran trainer Ray Arcel, played by Robert De Niro. After Arcel comes out of retirement, he helps refine Durán's raw talent into championship discipline, pushing him through the brutal rise of a fighter driven by pride, skill, and national identity. The film follows Durán's ascent in the ring, his personal struggles outside it, and the intense build toward his famous rivalry with Sugar Ray Leonard. Rather than focusing only on fight-night spectacle, the story also emphasizes the bond between fighter and trainer, showing how strategy, mentorship, and temperament shape a champion's career. (static.rottentomatoes.com)

Reception for Hands of Stone was mixed. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film at 44% from 109 reviews and summarizes the consensus as saying its strong cast and compelling real-life story are not enough to overcome a crowded narrative and formulaic script. Metacritic scores it 54/100 based on 31 critic reviews, also indicating a mixed-or-average response. Critics who liked it often praised Edgar Ramírez, Robert De Niro, and the boxing sequences; Time called Ramírez's turn as Durán dazzling and noted that the fight scenes crackle. More positive Metacritic blurbs likewise singled out the acting and the mentor-fighter relationship as highlights. On the other hand, several reviewers complained that the film tries to cover too much ground, relies on clichés, and rushes through important material. Audience reaction was more divided but slightly warmer, with Rotten Tomatoes' Popcornmeter at 52% from 5,000+ ratings, while IMDb lists it at 6.6/10, suggesting a generally respectable but far from universally loved boxing biopic. (static.rottentomatoes.com)