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This film features a talented cast, telling the true story of Irish boxing trainer Ingle, who guided a cheeky Sheffield teenager from Yemeni migrant parents. Dubbed Naseem Hamed, the fighter was coached to confront racist bullies and transformed into a celebrity titleholder in the 1990s. The trainer nurtured his flamboyant confidence and powerful punches, but after achieving wealth, Hamed betrayed his mentor, cutting him out and making him a blend of John Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Pierce Brosnan portrays Ingle; El-Masry takes on the role of the prince, and Stephens is the bullish promoter Warren, who recognized the potential that Ingle had discovered.

Where the Movie Falls Short

Yet, the movie frankly lacks the fighter’s fancy footwork: the fight scenes flow well, but the crucial drama between them is repeatedly flat and monotonous. It lacks subtlety or contrast in the portrayal of Hamed himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise excellent talent, doesn’t get the opportunity to show any depth or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s clearly been training and looks very plausible in the ring.

Problems with Script and Sound

The story is often burdened by utilitarian, expositional lines that tell you precisely what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“You started your boxing journey at seven years old …”). This is the sort of script that digital producers call “double-screen”, making sure you know what’s going on while you’re watching the film but also checking your device. Additionally, the background music is overbearing, sometimes nearly deafening, particularly in the scene where the boxer gets too excited visiting the promoter in his luxurious residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While the leads do their considerable best, their relationship doesn’t quite comes to life, and the major boxing moments are frequently disappointingly cut short. The most important moment is surely when, provoked past his limit in the training facility one day by Hamed as a misguided “elder”, the trainer in fact proposes to step into the ring and box him. All present in the room is shocked and uneasy. In what way is this extremely risky standoff going to unfold? How precisely the ending? Surely the Prince is going to kill him? Or will he emotionally hold back? The resolution remains ambiguous.

Highlights and Humor

This isn’t to imply that there aren’t some good moments. Brosnan elicits humor when his character informs a reporter what he’s teaching the youths from his local community: to oppose prejudice and when you encounter a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. It’s funny too when the boxer squirms at the silly antics the coach makes him do in the early days: acting like the “monster from the East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

Regarding the falling out, the movie shows this as being worsened by a tell-all book that Ingle is allegedly written (a story element evidently modified from prior material), and there is an interestingly imagined last discussion – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is supposed to have given to Ingle after his death is only referenced in the closing credits, and not shown on film. Some interesting material in this film, but the blows fail to connect.

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