O Trambique do Século

The situation is perfect. It's one of the movies where there is nothing bad to refer to. It's about only one match, and how it exposes the contradictions of this world; which's here the community of boxing. I loved how the whole characters declare something moral while achieving their hidden, so materialistic, aims. In fact, the shown scene is for America when money is god, and 99 % of the Americans are so godly!

The casting is the movie's biggest hit; everyone was in the right place. The script is lissome, coming to its point without any elongation. The characters are made in a way that suits the desired in this drollery of a movie. It harmonies smartly, carrying out itself as enjoyable, being an enough compensation from director (Reginald Hudlin) for his previous, real bad, movie (Boomerang - 1992).

It was so good to an extent that forces you to ask why it was that short? Why the gifted supporting actors (Jon Lovitz, Cheech Marin, Jamie Foxx,..) didn't have more on-screen time with more material? Actually, it's not basically a comedy inasmuch as a satire; that could bother some I suppose, since the funniness wasn't as high as the sarcastic criticism, with comic actors around while not making many laughs. However, it said all what (Oliver Stone)'s surely heavier, louder, and longer movie (Any Given Sunday - 1999) stretched and overload, 3 years later, and in focused nice way as well.

(The Great White Hype) is a jest where the substance is itself the surface totally unlike the world it sneered at. It's only imperfect point is that some jests can't be used more than once. So, despite how I liked it, I may find nothing in it to be re-watched again, except for (Damon Wayans) running after the ice cream's van of course!

Finally, do I smell a point of view in the title about how the great hype is "white" in the first place?!

Okay, it's not the best film ever made, but it's an affable little number which'll certainly keep you entertained for an hour and a half. The storyline always seems secondary and the satire's never quite as punchy (ahaha... ha) as it should be, but there are some great comedy moments and a host of memorable characters (Damon Wayans' drawling pot-bellied champ, Peter Berg's peabrained challenger, Jeff Goldblum's rambling TV crusader, John Rhys-Davies' sweaty, foul-mouthed trainer) - and Sam Jackson's permanent big grin is all too infectious. Genuinely funny comedies aren't that easy to come by these days, so this one could definitely be a contender, give it a shot at the title, stick it up your ring etc. I'll get me coat.

First of all, this movie is funny. Even if you're not an insider to the world of boxing, this film makes many references you'll recognize and goes over the top with it and with some of the flamboyant people who have graced the sport.

Then there is the whole idea of finding a white boxer, besides the obligatory "Rocky" that is, that people can get behind to breathe new life into the sport.

Here you have every stereotype of that world thrown in from the promoters to the media personnel who made boxing what it is today -- Hype.

Here is a promoter who is keeping his client from fighting the one guy who can actually beat him (hence ruin their meal tickets), to come up with someone else to make Hype and recover funds he already spent that he can't pay the boxing champ. That among other things. Samuel L. Jackson is fun to watch as is Jeff Goldblum and Jamie Fox and Damon Wayons as the over-hyped champ. Rounding this out is the usual bottom feeders played well by Jon Lovitz and Corbin Bernsen. This movie can be uneven at times, but overall its entertainment, and a sarcastic view into the boxing promotion world like no other. Two stars out of four.

I have to admit that when I rented this movie, I was expecting a dumb comedy that would fail to show the reality of boxing. However, this film is a very funny film that also has a rather keen insight into the current state of boxing. Samuel L. Jackson plays a "Don King" type guy that is stuck with the problem of having a champ that might be too good. No one wants to pay to see the guy, because there are no quality fighters out there to challenge him. So, Jackson goes about creating a contender for the champ. What is the one thing you need to get people in the arena to watch? Well, a white challenger of course, experience not necessary. Surely many white Americans will pay to see one of their own knock down the overly cocky, black champ. Berg plays the "Great White Hope." The beauty of this film is the comedic way that it shows the real life corruption in boxing today. Fights are fixed, promotions are staged and very rarely do you have the best fighting the best. Moreover, we as viewers fall into the same trap that boxing fans do. Here you have an unqualified contender, that has no prayer of beating the champ. However, as we see the hype done by these snake oil salesmen, we start to believe that Berg's character actually has a chance to win. If you are a boxing fan, you will love this film, because it is real. Even if you are not a boxing fan, you will enjoy it. Very funny film and great acting performances. Believe the hype!

This movie has a lot of fun making fun of both the boxing world and itself. It's not really much of a movie, but it has moments. I recommend it as one of those movies that, if you're channel-surfing on cable and you happen to come across it, and there's really nothing else on, then watch it. It's not a complete waste of time, but it's not a movie that you should run out and rent.