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The movie features a talented ensemble, telling the true story of coach Ingle, who mentored a brash Sheffield teenager from Middle Eastern migrant family. Dubbed “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was coached to confront prejudice and transformed into a media-friendly world champion in the 1990s. The trainer cultivated his showboating arrogance and powerful punches, but after becoming rich, the boxer turned against his coach, excluding him and making him a blend of John Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

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

Where the Movie Falls Short

Yet, the movie honestly lacks the Prince’s agility: the fight scenes run smoothly, but the crucial drama in between is consistently flat and one-note. It lacks nuance or light and shade in the depiction of the protagonist himself, and the actor, an otherwise outstanding performer, isn’t given the chance to display any subtlety or much of what might make his role truly engaging – although he’s obviously been working out and looks very plausible in the boxing arena.

Problems with Script and Sound

The drama is repeatedly lumbered with functional, expositional dialogue that inform 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 streaming-TV producers call “second-screen”, making sure you understand what’s going on while you’re watching the film but also glancing at your phone. Additionally, the score is overpowering, at times almost deafening, particularly in the scene where Hamed gets overexcited visiting Warren in his luxurious residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While the leads do their very best, their relationship doesn’t quite ignites, and the major boxing moments are often disappointingly cut short. The most important scene is surely when, goaded past his limit in the training facility one day by the boxer as a misguided “old man”, the trainer in fact offers to step into the ring and box him. All present in the gym is stunned and uneasy. How exactly is this insanely unwise standoff going to play out? What will be the outcome? Surely the champion is going to defeat him? Or will he sentimentally pull his punches? It’s not clear.

Bright Spots and Comedy

This isn’t to imply that there are no some good moments. The actor elicits humor when his character informs a reporter what he’s teaching the youths from his local community: to reject prejudice and when you encounter a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. It’s funny too when Hamed fidgets at the silly stunts Ingle makes him do in the early days: posing as the “beast from the East”.

Plot and Conclusion

Regarding the falling out, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a revealing book that the trainer is supposed to have authored (a plot point clearly modified from another source), and there is an interestingly imagined last discussion – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is reportedly given to Ingle after his passing is only mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on film. There is interesting material in this film, but the blows fail to connect.

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