Synopsis
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.
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Cast
- 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
Recommendations
- 80
The New Yorker
Michael Mann is a fluent, evocative filmmaker, and the movie is well written, expertly staged, and beautifully edited. [24 & 31 Dec 2001, p. 126] - 75
Christian Science Monitor
What keeps the movie from championship status is a sense that the filmmakers see Ali's social and political contributions as extra added attractions, ultimately less important than his greatness in the ring. - 75
San Francisco Chronicle
Connects so often and so persuasively that its shortcomings -- the movie goes slack from time to time -- really don't amount to much. - 70
Variety
Just about everything Mann has chosen to present is valid, substantial and convincing, but by the end, the feeling persists that while certain essences have been grasped, only part of the story has been told. - 70
Village Voice
Filled with vivid cameos and set to an infectious soul beat that effectively covers the underlying hum of calculated precision. - 67
Portland Oregonian
For all Smith's dedication and Mann's abilities, Ali remains a figure too big for even the big screen to contain. - 63
USA Today
Ali is no disgrace, but it's not much of a performer, especially considering that it is one of the few hyped year-end releases that coulda been a contender. - 60
New Times (L.A.)
Muhammad Ali's spirit, his life force, is not quite present here, despite Smith's astonishing mimicry and Mann's considerable perspiration.
