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The movie boasts a talented ensemble, telling the real-life story of Irish boxing trainer Ingle, who mentored a brash Sheffield teenager from Yemeni migrant family. Known as “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was taught to confront racist bullies and molded into a celebrity world champion in the late 90s. Ingle nurtured his flamboyant arrogance and lethal fists, but after achieving wealth, the boxer betrayed his coach, cutting him out and turning him into a mix of John Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Pierce Brosnan portrays Ingle; Amir El-Masry embodies the role of Hamed, and Toby Stephens appears as the bullish London promoter Frank Warren, who recognized the potential that the coach had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

Yet, the movie frankly misses the fighter’s agility: the boxing sequences flow well, but the all-important story between them is repeatedly dull and monotonous. There is no nuance or contrast in the depiction of the protagonist himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise outstanding performer, isn’t given the opportunity to display any depth or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s clearly been working out and appears convincing in the boxing arena.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The story is repeatedly burdened by functional, expositional dialogue that inform you precisely what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“Your journey began your career at age seven …”). It is the sort of dialogue that digital producers call “second-screen”, ensuring you understand what’s unfolding while you’re watching the film but also checking your device. Additionally, the score is overbearing, sometimes nearly overwhelming, particularly in the moment where the boxer gets too excited calling on Warren in his luxurious home.

Performances and Key Moments

While the leads do their very best, their dynamic never really ignites, and the big set-piece fight scenes are often anticlimactically cut short. A key scene is surely when, goaded past his limit in the training facility one day by the boxer as a misguided “elder”, Ingle in fact proposes to get in the ring and fight him. Everyone in the room is shocked and uncomfortable. In what way is this extremely risky confrontation going to unfold? What will be the ending? Certainly the Prince is going to kill him? Or will he sentimentally pull his punches? It’s not clear.

Highlights and Humor

This isn’t to imply that there are no some nice jabs. The actor gets laughs when Ingle tells a reporter what he’s teaching the kids from his neighborhood: to reject bias and when you encounter a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. Amusing too when Hamed fidgets at the ridiculous stunts Ingle makes him do in the beginning: acting like the “monster from the Middle East”.

Plot and Conclusion

Regarding the rift, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a revealing publication that the trainer is supposed to have authored (a plot point clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an intriguingly conceived last discussion – however the heartfelt homage that the boxer is reportedly paid to Ingle after his death is only mentioned in the end titles, and not shown on screen. There is interesting material here, but the blows don’t land.

Giant screened at the London film festival and is available in British and Irish cinemas from January 9.