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The movie features a impressive ensemble, depicting the real-life tale of coach Ingle, who mentored a cheeky Yorkshire youth from Yemeni immigrant family. Known as Naseem Hamed, the youngster was coached to confront prejudice and molded into a media-friendly world champion in the 1990s. The trainer cultivated his flamboyant confidence and lethal fists, but after becoming rich, the boxer turned against his coach, excluding him and turning him into a blend of Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Brosnan portrays the trainer; El-Masry takes on the role of Hamed, and Toby Stephens is the assertive London promoter Frank Warren, who recognized the goldmine that the coach had uncovered.

Where the Movie Falls Short

However, the movie honestly lacks the Prince’s agility: the fight scenes flow well, but the crucial story in between is repeatedly flat and monotonous. It lacks subtlety or light and shade in the depiction of Hamed himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise outstanding performer, isn’t given the chance to show any depth or much of what might make his role truly engaging – even though he’s obviously been working out and appears convincing in the boxing arena.

Problems with Script and Sound

The story is often lumbered with utilitarian, expositional dialogue that tell you precisely what is going on and what we are meant to feel (“You started your career at age seven …”). It is the sort of script that digital executives call “double-screen”, ensuring you understand what’s going on while you’re viewing the film but also checking your phone. And, the background music is overpowering, at times almost deafening, especially in the scene where Hamed gets too excited calling on the promoter in his luxurious residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

Although El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable best, their relationship doesn’t quite ignites, and the big set-piece fight scenes are often disappointingly truncated. The most important moment is surely when, provoked beyond endurance in the gym one day by the boxer as a misguided “elder”, the trainer actually offers to step into the ring and fight him. Everyone in the room is shocked and uneasy. In what way is this insanely unwise confrontation going to unfold? What will be the ending? Certainly the champion is going to kill him? Alternatively will he sentimentally hold back? The resolution remains ambiguous.

Highlights and Humor

That’s not to say that there are no some good moments. The actor gets laughs when his character tells a reporter what he’s instructing the kids from his neighborhood: to reject bias and when you encounter a offender, “Punch him in the bollocks”. It’s funny too when Hamed fidgets at the silly antics the coach makes him do in the beginning: acting like the “monster from the East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

Regarding the rift, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a tell-all book that Ingle is allegedly authored (a story element clearly adapted from another source), and there is an interestingly conceived last discussion – although the heartfelt homage that the boxer is supposed to have paid to Ingle after his death is only mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on film. Some interesting material in this film, but the punches fail to connect.

Giant was shown at the London film festival and is in British and Irish theaters from 9 January.