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The movie features a impressive cast, telling the true story of coach Ingle, who mentored a cheeky Yorkshire youth from Yemeni immigrant parents. Dubbed Naseem Hamed, the youngster was coached to confront racist bullies and transformed into a celebrity titleholder in the 1990s. Ingle cultivated his flamboyant confidence and powerful punches, but after achieving wealth, the boxer turned against his mentor, excluding him and making him a blend of Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Brosnan portrays the trainer; Amir El-Masry takes on the part of the prince, and Stephens is the assertive London promoter Warren, who saw the potential that Ingle had uncovered.

Where the Movie Falls Short

Yet, the film honestly misses the Prince’s agility: the fight scenes flow well, but the crucial story between them is repeatedly dull and monotonous. It lacks subtlety or contrast in the portrayal of Hamed himself, and the actor, an otherwise outstanding performer, doesn’t get the chance to show any depth or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s obviously been working out and appears convincing in the boxing arena.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The story is repeatedly lumbered with utilitarian, expositional dialogue that tell you precisely what is going on and what we are supposed to be thinking (“You started your career at age seven …”). It is the kind of dialogue that streaming-TV executives call “second-screen”, making sure you understand what’s unfolding while you’re watching the film but also checking your device. And, the score is overpowering, sometimes almost deafening, especially in the moment where Hamed gets too excited calling on Warren in his luxurious home.

Performances and Key Moments

Although El-Masry and Brosnan do their very utmost, their relationship doesn’t quite comes to life, and the big set-piece fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important moment is surely when, provoked beyond endurance in the training facility one day by Hamed as a misguided “old man”, the trainer in fact offers to step into the ring and fight him. Everyone in the gym is stunned and uncomfortable. In what way is this insanely unwise standoff going to unfold? How precisely the outcome? Surely the Prince is going to defeat him? Or will he emotionally hold back? It’s not clear.

Highlights and Humor

This isn’t to imply that there aren’t some nice jabs. Brosnan elicits humor when his character informs a journalist what he’s teaching the youths from his neighborhood: to oppose prejudice and when you meet a paedophile, “Hit them in the bollocks”. It’s funny too when Hamed fidgets at the ridiculous stunts the coach makes him do in the early days: acting like the “monster from the East”.

Plot and Conclusion

Regarding the falling out, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a revealing book that Ingle is allegedly written (a story element clearly modified from another source), and there is an interestingly conceived last discussion – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is reportedly given to his mentor after his passing is merely referenced in the end titles, and not dramatised on film. Some interesting material in this film, but the blows fail to connect.

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