Big George Foreman (2023)
7.9 /10
35 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
Fueled by an impoverished childhood, George Foreman channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit. But when he sees his community struggling spiritually and financially, Foreman returns to the ring and makes history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest and most improbable World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever.
Videos & Photos
cast
... George Foreman
... Mary Joan
... Muhammad Ali
... Archie Moore
... Desmond
User reviews
Khris Davis is competent in this otherwise rather pedestrian and chronological biopic of this hugely enigmatic world heavyweight champion. We start with his youthful days when, as a substantial unit (Austin David Jones), he realises that his can settle matters with his fists more easily than he can with his brain. This, of course, leads to some time in juvey where he encounters "Doc" (Forest Whitaker) who cuts him some slack after he loses the plot with a guy who stole his sneakers, and enrols him at his boxing gym. What now ensues is history. His run of unbeaten fights, his development from small-time regional character to big-hitting title contender is rather rapidly gone through before we discover the adult character, married to Nancy (Sonja Soon) but philandering as he goes. His boxing is not his only love though, and after losing to Muhammad Ali (Sullivan Jones) he decides to hang up his gloves and take to preaching. He funds his own chapel, funds his own gym to help the local - impoverished - youngsters to find purpose and then, runs out of money... That requires him to return to the ring - at the age of 45 - and try to regain his title! Foreman was heavily involved with this depiction so we can assume it's true in the most part. To be fair, he doesn't set out to depict a saintly man - his peccadillos are there to be seen, but somehow for a man who must have had such a passionate and visceral existence this film is all rather tame and placid. The stats are there to read, this was an opportunity to put some flesh on the character's bones - and I felt this didn't really do that. It skipped across so many of the developmental aspects of the man and his personality only to dwell a bit too often on the less interesting (or domestic) aspects of his undoubtedly roller-coaster life. Whitaker is adequate, nothing more, and though some effort has been made to recreate the bouts in the ring, they had little of the potency of those we saw in the first "Rocky" (1976). It's interesting seeing a professional fighter reconcile his wayward behaviour and his love for god, but I thought this could have delivered so much more than it does.
Director:
Writer:
Dan Gordon (Screenstory)
George Tillman, Jr. (Screenplay)
George Tillman, Jr. (Screenstory)
Frank Baldwin (Screenplay)
Frank Baldwin (Screenstory)
Release Date:
2023-04-27
Run Time:
129 min
MMPA Rating:
PG-13
Reviews of
Big George Foreman
Khris Davis is competent in this otherwise rather pedestrian and chronological biopic of this hugely enigmatic world heavyweight champion. We start with his youthful days when, as a substantial unit (Austin David Jones), he realises that his can settle matters with his fists more easily than he can with his brain. This, of course, leads to some time in juvey where he encounters "Doc" (Forest Whitaker) who cuts him some slack after he loses the plot with a guy who stole his sneakers, and enrols him at his boxing gym. What now ensues is history. His run of unbeaten fights, his development from small-time regional character to big-hitting title contender is rather rapidly gone through before we discover the adult character, married to Nancy (Sonja Soon) but philandering as he goes. His boxing is not his only love though, and after losing to Muhammad Ali (Sullivan Jones) he decides to hang up his gloves and take to preaching. He funds his own chapel, funds his own gym to help the local - impoverished - youngsters to find purpose and then, runs out of money... That requires him to return to the ring - at the age of 45 - and try to regain his title! Foreman was heavily involved with this depiction so we can assume it's true in the most part. To be fair, he doesn't set out to depict a saintly man - his peccadillos are there to be seen, but somehow for a man who must have had such a passionate and visceral existence this film is all rather tame and placid. The stats are there to read, this was an opportunity to put some flesh on the character's bones - and I felt this didn't really do that. It skipped across so many of the developmental aspects of the man and his personality only to dwell a bit too often on the less interesting (or domestic) aspects of his undoubtedly roller-coaster life. Whitaker is adequate, nothing more, and though some effort has been made to recreate the bouts in the ring, they had little of the potency of those we saw in the first "Rocky" (1976). It's interesting seeing a professional fighter reconcile his wayward behaviour and his love for god, but I thought this could have delivered so much more than it does.
Cast & Crew of
Big George Foreman
Cast
... George Foreman
... Mary Joan
... Muhammad Ali
... Archie Moore
... Desmond
... Rev. Virdell Stokes
... Nancy Foreman
... Doc Broadus
... Paula
... Angelo Dundee
... Howard Cosell
... Mary Foreman
... Dick Sadler
... Roy Foreman
... Gloria Foreman
... Teenage George Jr.
... Teenage Mary Foreman
... Sonny Foreman
... Gil Clancy
... Jim Lampley
... Young George
... Dr. West
... Larry Merchant
... Bank Manager
... Young Roy Foreman
... Teenage Gloria Foreman
... Johnny Carson
... Ned Miller
... Mitchell
... Party Beauty
... Mercante (Frazier Ref)
... Mrs. Burke
... Neighbor
... News Reporter
... Maurice
... Director
... Mrs. Jennings
... Crowd Guy Booker
... Old Fat Bald Man
... Marcus Tucker
... Drunk Man
... Cousin Rita
... George Colton
... Younger George Jr.
... Reporter - Kingston
... Jalen Burke
... Sports Anchor
... Officer Dell
... Job Corps Worker Simms
... Street Guy Lamont
... Kurt Gaines
... Dressing Room Soldier
... Roberta
... Moorer Referee
... Zouski's Trainer
... Sneaker Thief
... Ring Doctor
... Singing Congregant
... Zouski Referee
... Foreman Cornerman
... Foreman Cornerman
... Johnson Cornerman
... Johnson Cornerman
... Cepulis Referee
... Ali Referee
... Announcer
... Sonny Liston
... Michael Moorer
... Miguel Angel Paez
... Jimmy Young
... Joe Frazier
... Steve Zouski
... Royce
... Cepulis
... Don Waldheim
... Lead Cop
... Bob Hazelton
... Alonzo Johnson
... Sparring Partner
... Sports Announcer
... Sports Announcer
... Sports Announcer
... Sports Announcer
Crew
... Production Design
... Casting Director
... Executive Producer
... Director of Photography
... Costume Design
... Original Music Composer
... Screenstory
... Producer
... Executive Producer
... Screenplay
... Director
... Screenstory
... Editor
... Executive Producer
... Set Decoration
... Casting Director
... Storyboard Artist
... Director of Photography
... Screenplay
... Screenstory
... Supervising Art Director
... Set Decoration
... Editor
... Storyboard Artist
... Production Supervisor
... Art Direction
... First Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Director
... Executive Producer
... Art Direction
... Assistant Property Master
... Production Assistant
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