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The movie features a impressive ensemble, telling the true story of Irish boxing trainer Ingle, who guided a brash Sheffield teenager from Yemeni migrant family. Known as Naseem Hamed, the fighter was taught to stand up to prejudice and transformed into a celebrity titleholder in the 1990s. Ingle nurtured his flamboyant confidence and lethal fists, but after becoming rich, Hamed turned against his coach, cutting him out and making him a blend of Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Brosnan portrays the trainer; El-Masry takes on the part of Hamed, and Stephens is the assertive London promoter Warren, who recognized the goldmine 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 story between them is consistently flat and monotonous. It lacks nuance or contrast in the depiction of the protagonist himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise excellent talent, doesn’t get the chance to show any subtlety or much of what might make his role 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 functional, expositional lines that tell you exactly what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“Your journey began your career at seven years old …”). This is the kind of dialogue that digital executives call “second-screen”, ensuring you know what’s going on while you’re viewing the film but also checking your device. Additionally, the score is overpowering, at times nearly deafening, particularly in the moment where Hamed gets overexcited visiting the promoter in his palatial home.

Performances and Key Moments

While the leads do their very best, their relationship never really ignites, and the big set-piece boxing moments are frequently disappointingly cut short. A key moment is certainly when, goaded beyond endurance in the gym one day by the boxer as a delusional “elder”, Ingle actually offers to get in the ring and fight him. Everyone in the gym is shocked and uncomfortable. How exactly is this extremely risky confrontation going to play out? How precisely the outcome? Surely the champion is going to defeat him? Or will he sentimentally hold back? It’s not clear.

Highlights and Humor

That’s not to say that there aren’t some good moments. Brosnan gets laughs when his character tells a journalist what he’s instructing the kids from his local community: to oppose prejudice and when you meet a paedophile, “Hit them in the groin”. Amusing too when Hamed squirms at the silly stunts Ingle makes him do in the beginning: posing as the “monster from the Middle East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

As for the falling out, the film depicts this as being worsened by a revealing book that Ingle is supposed to have written (a plot point evidently adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly conceived final conversation – however the heartfelt homage that the boxer is reportedly given to Ingle after his death is only mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on screen. Some interesting material in this film, but the punches don’t land.

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