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The movie boasts a talented cast, telling the real-life tale of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who mentored a cheeky Sheffield youth from Yemeni migrant family. Dubbed Naseem Hamed, the fighter was coached to confront prejudice and molded into a celebrity world champion in the 1990s. Ingle nurtured his flamboyant arrogance and powerful punches, but after becoming rich, Hamed turned against his mentor, cutting him out and turning him into a blend of John Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Brosnan plays Ingle; Amir El-Masry embodies the part of the prince, and Stephens appears as the assertive London promoter Warren, who saw the potential that Ingle had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

Yet, the film honestly lacks the fighter’s fancy footwork: the fight scenes flow well, but the all-important story between them is consistently dull and monotonous. There is no subtlety or light and shade in the depiction of Hamed himself, and the actor, an otherwise outstanding performer, isn’t given the opportunity 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.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The story is repeatedly lumbered with functional, expositional dialogue that tell you precisely what is going on and what we are meant to feel (“You started your career at age seven …”). This is the sort of dialogue that digital executives call “second-screen”, making sure you know what’s going on while you’re watching the movie but also checking your phone. Additionally, the background music is overpowering, at times almost overwhelming, especially in the moment where Hamed gets overexcited calling on the promoter in his palatial home.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While the leads do their considerable utmost, their relationship never really ignites, and the major fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important moment is certainly when, goaded beyond endurance in the gym one day by the boxer as a delusional “old man”, Ingle actually offers to step into the ring and box him. Everyone in the room is shocked and uneasy. In what way is this extremely risky confrontation going to unfold? What will be the ending? Surely the champion is going to kill him? Or will he sentimentally pull his punches? It’s not clear.

Bright Spots and Comedy

That’s not to say that there aren’t some nice jabs. The actor gets laughs when Ingle informs a reporter what he’s instructing the kids from his local community: to reject bias and when you meet a paedophile, “Hit them in the groin”. Amusing too when the boxer squirms at the silly antics Ingle makes him do in the early days: acting like the “beast from the Middle East”.

Plot and Conclusion

As for the rift, the movie shows this as being exacerbated by a revealing book that the trainer is allegedly written (a plot point evidently adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly imagined final conversation – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is supposed to have given to Ingle after his death is merely mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on screen. There is engaging content here, but the blows don’t land.

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