One of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport gets his biopic due. Put in your mouthguard and lace up your gloves (or really, get someone to do that for you, as Big George Foreman is now playing in UK cinemas.
Foreman has sometimes been unfairly labelled a villain due to his role in the iconic 1974 match “The Rumble in the Jungle,” when he was trounced by fan fave Muhammed Ali. But the real story is much more than that. Directed and co-written (with Frank Baldwin) by Soul Food and The Hate U Give director George Tillman Jr., Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World, to give the film it’s full and illustrious title, stars relative unknown Khris Davis as Foreman. The film follows him from his troubled youth in Houston, Texas, until a chance meeting with future trainer Doc Broadus (the always welcome Forest Whitaker) starts him on the path to the ring.
From there it’s winning gold at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, smoking Smokin’ Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight Championship, betting blattered by Ali in Zaire, finding God, eventually launching the TV marketing juggernaut that is the George Foreman Grill (how could they not include that?)
Oh, and reclaiming the heavyweight title at the age of 45 after a decade out of the ring and 20 years after losing it to Ali. That’s quite notable.
The Wire alumnus Sonja Sohn is on hand as Foreman’s mother, and director Tillman keeps things moving and doesn’t skimp on the big emotional beats and the brutal in-the-ring action. As long as we get at least one scene of name-related comedy confusion due to Foreman naming all five of his sons “George”, Big George Foreman looks like fight night done right to us.
