This biopic follows boxer Muhammed Ali (Will Smith) as he rises from an unknown to Heavyweight Champion of the World at 22, only to be stripped of his title for refusing the Vietnam War draft, the legal battles up to the Supreme Court, and multiple attempts to regain the Heavyweight belt.
This would be a good companion piece to One Night in Miami. It's less of a boxing movie and more about the internal struggles of a man trying to carve his own place in a world desperate to use him. Jamie Foxx puts in a great performance as Ali's ringside hype man, and there are great supporting turns from Mykelti Williamson, Giancarlo Esposito, Mario Van Peebles, and Nona Gaye. Jon Voight is damn near unrecognizable in makeup as Howard Cosell, and it's obvious Will Smith studied Ali extensively to get the mannerisms, the voice, and the expressions down.
Michael Mann is a great director and he paired here with Emmanuel Lubezki, an excellent cinematographer, to create a truly timeless portrayal of an icon. It's currently streaming on Amazon Prime or for free on Peacock with ads (if you have a subscription to Peacock, there is an ad-free version).
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