This film isn't just swagger, or an imitation of Sonny Liston. This is a deep, sensitive, poignant, and romantic story about one of the greatest public figures of the twentieth century. A conglomerate of great acting, great direction, and a great story that needed to be told. When I was young I use to hear Patterson and Sonny Liston's name all the way till I became an adult. Yet I never knew who they were outside of being famous boxers back in the day. This film is socially important because it raises up one of the most notable and under-appreciated figures of the twentieth century, Sonny Liston. His fights with Patterson is also in the film so I learned a lot here. The fights are not rocky-type or "entertaining" but REAL. Never long and drawn out but super exciting for someone not into boxing, like me. My mother & I really got into this movie than researched after, and boy were the males in out family surprised. They didn't show a younger Liston but instead had Ving play the entire role from his discovery by the Catholic priest in prison to Liston's champ days, and finally his passing. Sadly, fate forced him to have ties to the mob. It was boxing or a life in prison. And a lot of shady people were attached to boxing back than. Some just weren't so lucky. Surprisingly, the movie was so good & went by so fast, no one even noticed. But I am so glad I didn't pay attention to any neg reviews in here! This movie gives us all an important lesson. That we can be anything we want! This certainly is a movie worth seeing.
