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The movie features a impressive cast, depicting the real-life story of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who mentored a cheeky Sheffield youth from Yemeni immigrant parents. Dubbed “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was coached to confront racist bullies and molded into a media-friendly titleholder in the 1990s. The trainer cultivated his flamboyant confidence and lethal fists, but after becoming rich, the boxer turned against his mentor, cutting him out and making him a mix of Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Brosnan portrays the trainer; El-Masry takes on the role of the prince, and Stephens is the assertive London promoter Warren, who recognized the goldmine that the coach had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

Yet, the movie honestly misses the fighter’s agility: the boxing sequences run smoothly, but the crucial story between them is consistently flat and one-note. There is no nuance or contrast in the portrayal of the protagonist himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise excellent talent, isn’t given the chance to show any subtlety or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s obviously been working out and appears convincing in the ring.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The drama is often burdened by utilitarian, explanatory dialogue that inform you exactly what is going on 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 understand what’s unfolding while you’re viewing the movie but also checking your device. And, the score is overbearing, sometimes nearly deafening, particularly in the moment where the boxer gets overexcited visiting the promoter in his palatial residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While El-Masry and Brosnan do their very utmost, their dynamic doesn’t quite comes to life, and the major fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important scene is certainly when, goaded past his limit in the gym one day by the boxer as a delusional “old man”, the trainer in fact offers to step into the ring and fight him. Everyone in the gym is shocked and uneasy. In what way is this extremely unwise standoff going to unfold? How precisely the ending? Certainly the champion is going to kill 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 gets laughs when Ingle informs a reporter what he’s instructing the kids from his neighborhood: to oppose bias and when you encounter a offender, “Hit them in the groin”. Amusing too when Hamed fidgets at the silly stunts the coach 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 shows this as being exacerbated by a revealing publication that the trainer is allegedly written (a story element clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an intriguingly imagined final conversation – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is supposed to have paid to his mentor after his death is only mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on screen. Some interesting material here, but the punches fail to connect.

The film was shown at the festival and is in British and Irish theaters from January 9.