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The movie features a impressive cast, depicting the real-life tale of Irish boxing trainer Ingle, who mentored a brash Yorkshire teenager from Middle Eastern immigrant parents. Known as “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was coached to stand up to racist bullies and transformed into a celebrity titleholder in the 1990s. Ingle cultivated his flamboyant arrogance and lethal fists, but after achieving wealth, Hamed turned against his mentor, excluding him and turning him into a blend of Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Pierce Brosnan portrays Ingle; Amir El-Masry embodies the part of Hamed, and Stephens appears as the assertive promoter Frank Warren, who recognized the goldmine that Ingle had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

Yet, the film honestly lacks the Prince’s fancy footwork: the fight scenes flow well, but the all-important story between them is repeatedly dull and monotonous. It lacks nuance or contrast in the portrayal of Hamed himself, and the actor, an otherwise excellent talent, doesn’t get the opportunity to show any subtlety or much of what might make his role truly engaging – although he’s obviously been training and looks very plausible in the ring.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The drama is repeatedly burdened by utilitarian, expositional lines that tell you precisely what is going on and what we are meant to feel (“You started your career at seven years old …”). This is the sort of script that streaming-TV producers call “double-screen”, ensuring you understand what’s going on while you’re viewing the film but also checking your device. Additionally, the background music is overpowering, sometimes almost deafening, particularly in the moment where the boxer gets too excited visiting the promoter in his palatial residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While the leads do their very utmost, their relationship never really comes to life, and the big set-piece fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important scene is surely when, goaded beyond endurance in the training facility one day by Hamed as a misguided “old man”, the trainer in fact proposes to get in the ring and box him. Everyone in the room is shocked and uneasy. How exactly is this insanely risky standoff going to play out? What will be the outcome? Surely the champion is going to defeat him? Or will he sentimentally hold back? It’s not clear.

Bright Spots and Comedy

That’s not to say that there are no some good moments. Brosnan elicits humor when his character informs a reporter what he’s teaching 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 fidgets at the silly antics the coach makes him do in the early days: acting like the “beast from the Middle East”.

Plot and Conclusion

Regarding the falling out, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a tell-all publication that Ingle is supposed to have authored (a story element clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly imagined last discussion – however the heartfelt homage that Hamed is supposed to have given to Ingle after his passing is only mentioned in the end titles, and not shown on film. Some engaging content in this film, but the punches fail to connect.

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