Ali
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In 1964, a brash, new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes onto the scene: Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self-confidence and his unapologetic belief that he is the greatest boxer of all time. Yet at the top of his game, both Ali's personal and professional lives face the ultimate test.
What critics thought
Mann's biopic lands somewhere between admiration and frustration — Will Smith's embodiment of Ali earns consistent praise, but critics split sharply over whether Mann's style-heavy direction substitutes sensation for substance, leaving the man himself just out of reach. The film's opening stretches drew the warmest notices; its second half, less so.
“it lacks much of the flash, fire and humor of Muhammad Ali and is shot more in the tone of a eulogy than a celebration”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“The director's visual and aural dapplings are strikingly effective at their best, but over the long haul don't represent a satisfactory alternative to in-depth dramatic scenes; one longs, for example, for even one sequence in which Ali and Dundee discuss boxing strategy or assess an opponent”
Todd McCarthy·Variety
“first half percolates wonderfully—and the first half hour is even better than that. Mann opens with a thrilling montage that, spinning in and out of a nightclub performance by Sam Cooke, contextualizes the hero in his times”
J. Hoberman·Village Voice
“his overwhelming love of its subject will turn audiences into exuberant, thrilled fight crowds”
Elvis Mitchell·The New York Times
Accolades
Genres
Drama
Cast & Crew
Michael MannDirector
Will SmithMuhammad Ali / Cassius Clay
Jamie FoxxDrew 'Bundini' Brown
Jon VoightHoward Cosell
Mario Van PeeblesMalcolm X
Ron SilverAngelo Dundee
Jeffrey WrightHoward Bingham
Mykelti WilliamsonDon King
Jada Pinkett SmithSonji Roi
Nona GayeBelinda Ali
Michael MicheleVeronica Porche
Joe MortonChauncey Eskridge
Paul RodríguezDr. Ferdie Pacheco
Lisa GerrardComposer
Christopher WilkinsonWriter
Eric RothWriter
Stephen J. RiveleWriter
Gregory Allen HowardWriter
Emmanuel LubezkiCinematographyAli
In 1964, a brash, new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes onto the scene: Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self-confidence and his unapologetic belief that he is the greatest boxer of all time. Yet at the top of his game, both Ali's personal and professional lives face the ultimate test.
What critics thought
Mann's biopic lands somewhere between admiration and frustration — Will Smith's embodiment of Ali earns consistent praise, but critics split sharply over whether Mann's style-heavy direction substitutes sensation for substance, leaving the man himself just out of reach. The film's opening stretches drew the warmest notices; its second half, less so.
“it lacks much of the flash, fire and humor of Muhammad Ali and is shot more in the tone of a eulogy than a celebration”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“The director's visual and aural dapplings are strikingly effective at their best, but over the long haul don't represent a satisfactory alternative to in-depth dramatic scenes; one longs, for example, for even one sequence in which Ali and Dundee discuss boxing strategy or assess an opponent”
Todd McCarthy·Variety
“first half percolates wonderfully—and the first half hour is even better than that. Mann opens with a thrilling montage that, spinning in and out of a nightclub performance by Sam Cooke, contextualizes the hero in his times”
J. Hoberman·Village Voice
“his overwhelming love of its subject will turn audiences into exuberant, thrilled fight crowds”
Elvis Mitchell·The New York Times
Accolades
Genres
Drama
Cast & Crew
Michael MannDirectorWill SmithMuhammad Ali / Cassius ClayJamie FoxxDrew 'Bundini' BrownJon VoightHoward CosellMario Van PeeblesMalcolm XRon SilverAngelo DundeeJeffrey WrightHoward BinghamMykelti WilliamsonDon KingJada Pinkett SmithSonji RoiNona GayeBelinda AliMichael MicheleVeronica PorcheJoe MortonChauncey EskridgePaul RodríguezDr. Ferdie PachecoLisa GerrardComposerChristopher WilkinsonWriterEric RothWriterStephen J. RiveleWriterGregory Allen HowardWriterEmmanuel LubezkiCinematographyStream
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