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Ali (11-Dec-2001)
Director: Michael Mann Writers: Gregory Allen Howard; Stephen J. Rivele; Christopher Wilkinson; Eric Roth; Michael Mann Music by: Lisa Gerrard; Pieter Bourke Producers: Jon Peters; James Lassiter; Paul Ardaji; Michael Mann; A. Kitman Ho Keywords: Drama, Biography, Boxing Biopic dramatizes the life and career of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
ABSTRACT
Boxer Cassius Clay took the United States and planet by storm when he arrived in the world of professional boxing amidst the grittiest days of the Civil Rights Era, acting as a beacon of hope for beleaguered African-Americans with a level of skill, charisma, and self-confidence unparalleled in his sport. Controversy would attach itself to Clay with his conversion to Islam, abandonment of his birth name in favor of moniker Muhammad Ali, and refusal to serve in the Vietnam War, an outsized saga brought to the silver screen in Ali.
[watch trailer]
CAST | Will Smith | ... Cassius Clay -- Muhammad Ali | | | Jamie Foxx | ... Drew "Bundini" Brown | | Jon Voight | ... Howard Cosell | | Mario Van Peebles | ... Malcolm X | | Ron Silver | ... Angelo Dundee | | Jeffrey Wright | ... Howard Bingham | | Mykelti Williamson | ... Don King | | Jada Pinkett Smith | ... Sonji | | Nona Gaye | ... Belinda | | Michael Michele | ... Veronica | | Joe Morton | ... Chauncey Eskridge | | | Paul Rodriguez | ... Dr. Ferdie Pacheco | | Bruce McGill | ... Bradley | | Barry Shabaka Henley | ... Herbert Muhammad | | Giancarlo Esposito | ... Cassius Clay, Sr. | | Laurence Mason | ... Luis Sarria | | LeVar Burton | ... Martin Luther King, Jr. | | Albert Hall | ... Elijah Muhammad | | David Cubitt | ... Robert Lipsyte | | | Ted Levine | ... Joe Smiley | | Candy Brown Houston | ... Odessa | | David Elliott | ... Sam Cooke | | Shari Watson | ... Woman Singer | | Malick Bowens | ... Joseph Mobutu | | Michael Bentt | ... Sonny Liston | | James N. Toney | ... Joe Frazier | | Alfred Cole | ... Ernie Terrell | | Charles Shufford | ... George Foreman | | Rufus Dorsey | ... Floyd Paterson | | Robert Sale | ... Jerry Quarry | | Vincent Cook | ... Jimmy Ellis | | Damien "Bolo" Wills | ... Ken Norton | | David Haines | ... Rudy Clay -- Rahaman Ali | | Victoria Dillard | ... Betty Shabazz | | Brad Greenquist | ... Marlin Thomas | | Morgana Van Peebles | ... Malcolm X's Daughter | | Maya Van Peebles | ... Malcolm X's Daughter | | Maestro Harrell | ... Young Cassius Clay | | William Utay | ... The Doctor | | Kim Robillard | ... Jimmy Cannon | | David Purdham | ... Madison Square Garden Announcer | | Gailard Sartain | ... Gordon Davidson | | Wade Andrew Williams | ... Lt. Jerome Claridge | | Guy Van Swearingen | ... Induction FBI Man | | Doug Hale | ... Judge Ingraham | | LaDonna Tittle | ... Bundini's Landlady | | Marc Grapey | ... Bob Arum | | Herb Mitchell | ... Boxing Commissioner | | Eddie Bo Smith, Jr. | ... Malcolm's Bodyguard | | Bob Stuart | ... Thomas 15X Johnson | | Patrick New | ... Room Service Guy | | Ron OJ Parson | ... Death Newsman | | Ellis E. Williams | ... Family Photo Man | | Bokyun Chun | ... Asian Cosmetologist | | John G. Connolly | ... Assistant Director | | Warner Saunders | ... Customer | | Jack Reiss | ... Referee Arthur Mercante | | Marty Denkin | ... Frazier Fight II Announcer | | Tamara Lynch | ... Flight Attendant | | Theron Benymon | ... Hampton House Announcer | | Bill Plaschke | ... Miami Weigh-In Reporter | | Steve Springer | ... Miami Weigh-In Reporter | | Patrick M. Connolly | ... Announcer | | Patrick C. Russell | ... Referee | | Robert Byrd | ... Willie Reddick | | Cedric Wills | ... Jersey Joe Walcott, Referee | | Ronald A. DiNicola | ... Prosecutor | | Moses Hollins | ... Man on Train | | Daniel E. Gurevitz | ... Boxing Commission Reporter | | Steven Randazzo | ... Reporter | | Ray Bokhour | ... Reporter | | Leonard Termo | ... Madison Square Garden Reporter | | Johnny Ortiz | ... Madison Square Garden Reporter | | Mark Salem | ... New York Reporter | | Sheldon Fogel | ... New York Reporter | | Jim Gray | ... New York Reporter | | Melvin Thomas | ... Harlem Neighbor | | Natalie Carter | ... Harlem Neighbor | | Reginald Barshem Footman | ... Harlem Neighbor | | Poe Poe | ... Harlem Reporter | | Mel Dick | ... Louisville Sponsoring Group | | Kim Taylor Coleman | ... Lana Shabazz | | Christian Stolte | ... Miami Cop | | Victor Manni | ... Dressing Room Weigh-In Guy | | Will Gill, Jr. | ... Dick Sadler | | Sylvaine Strike | ... ORTF Interviewer | | Dr. Denis Luposo | ... Kinshasa Reporter | | Sharon Wilkinson | ... Rose Jennings | | Carol Hatchett | ... Pointer Sister | | Judith Mwale | ... Pointer Sister | | Keabetswe Motsilanyane | ... Pointer Sister | | Richard Katanga | ... Mobutu Aide / Military Aide | | Thomas Kariuki Matheri | ... Lt. Nsakala | | Larry Hazzard, Sr. | ... Zack Clayton | | Derrick Brown | ... Larry Holmes | | Rommel Hyacinth | ... The Pilot | | Graham Hopkins | ... London Banker | | Daniel Janks | ... CIA Man | | Bradford E. Lang | ... Black Pilot | | Michael Dorn | ... Black Pilot | | Daniel Robbertse | ... Reporter in Zaire | | Graham Clarke | ... Reporter in Zaire | | Dimitri Cassar | ... Reporter in Zaire | | Frank Notaro | ... Reporter in Zaire | | Mark Mulder | ... Reporter in Zaire | | David Hess | ... Reporter in Zaire | | Henrikennyo Mukenyi | ... Bula | | Nathaniel Malekane | ... Archie Moore | | Millard Arnold | ... Doc Broadus | | Edda Collier | ... Blonde French Reporter | | Wei Yi Lu | ... Chinese Delegate | | Lee Cummings | ... Hunter Thompson | | Zaa Nkweta | ... Foreman Fight Announcer | | Themba Gasa | ... Idi Amin | | Andrew P. Jones | ... Don King's Aide | | Marc Kulazite Mboli | ... Additional Aide to Mobutu | | Cimanga Kalambay | ... Additional Aide to Mobutu | | Jean Bikoi | ... Additional Aide to Mobutu | | James Gilbert | ... Sparring Partner in Africa |
REVIEWS Review by Michael Lesch (posted on 5-Oct-2010) While it obviously could be referred to as a boxing picture, this nice Michael Mann biographical effort is more a character study of the one of the most charismatic figures ever to step into the squared circle. Mr. Mann shifts gears appropriately from his heavy action yarns (Thief, Last of the Mohicans, Heat) to provide an insightful look into the life of this legendary boxer as Will Smith pulls off the title role rather well yet regrettably holds back much of the wit, humor and unpredictable antics Ali was known for. As a result, viewer's eyes actually will be more fixated on the dynamite supporting cast including Ron Silver as Ali's longtime trainer Angelo Dundee and Mario Van Peebles playing a formidable Malcolm X. Both of these memorable characters are only to be outdone by an almost unrecognizable Jon Voight as he dons the patented yellow ABC sport jacket and gives an incredible, Oscar nominated performance as the exuberant and controversial Howard Cosell who always seemed to be where Ali roamed the globe. While the film does span 10 years of the famous boxer's life, the major disappointment of the film is the 157 minute which could have been shortened by needles/monotonous training footage sequences.
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