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This film boasts a talented ensemble, depicting the true story of Irish boxing trainer Ingle, who guided a cheeky Sheffield youth from Yemeni immigrant family. Dubbed Naseem Hamed, the fighter was taught to stand up to racist bullies and transformed into a celebrity titleholder in the 1990s. The trainer nurtured his flamboyant arrogance and lethal fists, but after achieving wealth, the boxer betrayed his mentor, excluding him and turning him into a blend of John Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Pierce Brosnan portrays Ingle; Amir El-Masry takes on the role of the prince, and Toby Stephens appears as the bullish promoter Warren, who recognized the goldmine that Ingle had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

Yet, the movie honestly misses the Prince’s fancy footwork: the boxing sequences flow well, but the all-important drama in between is repeatedly flat and monotonous. There is no subtlety or light and shade in the depiction of the protagonist himself, and the actor, an otherwise outstanding performer, doesn’t get the chance to display any subtlety or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s obviously been working out and appears convincing in the ring.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The story is often lumbered with functional, explanatory dialogue that tell you precisely what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“You started your career at seven years old …”). This is the kind of dialogue that streaming-TV executives call “double-screen”, ensuring you understand what’s unfolding while you’re viewing the movie but also glancing at your device. Additionally, the score is overbearing, at times almost deafening, especially in the scene where the boxer gets too excited calling on the promoter in his luxurious home.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

Although El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable utmost, their relationship doesn’t quite ignites, and the major fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important scene is surely when, goaded past his limit in the training facility one day by Hamed as a delusional “elder”, Ingle in fact proposes to step into the ring and box him. Everyone in the gym is stunned and uncomfortable. How exactly is this insanely unwise standoff going to play out? How precisely the ending? Certainly the champion is going to kill him? Alternatively will he emotionally hold back? It’s not clear.

Highlights and Humor

That’s not to say that there are no some good moments. The actor elicits humor when Ingle tells a reporter what he’s instructing the kids from his local community: to reject bias and when you meet a offender, “Punch him in the groin”. It’s funny too when Hamed squirms at the silly stunts Ingle makes him do in the early days: posing as the “monster from the East”.

Plot and Conclusion

Regarding the rift, the film shows this as being exacerbated by a revealing book that Ingle is allegedly authored (a story element clearly adapted from another source), and there is an interestingly conceived final conversation – however the emotional tribute that the boxer is reportedly paid to Ingle after his death is merely mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on film. Some interesting material in this film, but the punches don’t land.

The film screened at the London film festival and is available in British and Irish theaters from 9 January.