Encarando Ali

The life of Muhammad Ali is told by ten of his boxing opponents; George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Ernie Terrell. They also reveals some harrowing and deeply personal stories about themselves.

This is a compelling telling of Muhammad Ali's story from another angle. He is such a magnetic personality that his opponents have been mostly silenced by his gift of gab. It's a nice retelling of the familiar story by the other voices and it does much more. These voices are allowed to tell their own stories and some of it is harrowing while others are uplifting. It's a definite must for true fight fans and fans of the human condition.

I have seen a lot of material regarding Muhammad Ali. Movies, clips from his greatest fights, documentaries, interviews and many, many more. This is what I was expecting when I sat down to watch 'Facing Ali'. Another documentary concerning this extraordinary man's exploits.

What I found, however, was something else. Something that kept me glued to the screen for the entirety of the film.

The premise of 'Facing Ali' is simple. Ten fighters who had traded blows with Ali during his remarkable career are interviewed. George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Ron Lyle, Larry Holmes and many other great boxers give their opinion on their fights with Ali, as well as Ali the boxer and Ali the person.

The interviews are beautifully done, with each fighter recounting their experiences, both personal and official. I found it riveting to hear each one's story. The pain and heartache each one endured to get where they were was clearly visible, as were their vivid recollections of their experiences with Ali. They say history is written by winners. This documentary identifies the men who were on the other side, who lived in the shadow that was Ali. They are no less remarkable.

The shooting style was very simple, and it worked. The interviews are interwoven with various Ali quotes and footage, as well as (of course) clips from his greatest fights over the course of his career. The whole thing comes together to keep one interested. This is no mere recollection of a great boxer's fights. It is also about Ali the man, a fighter of awesome ability, but also a man with a conflicted life, filled with hardship. This is told from the point of view of the men on the other side of his gloves.

This documentary is deserving of any praise it receives. 'Facing Ali' may have been told from the side of his opponents (phenomenal fighters and people in their own right), but it leaves little doubt - Ali was, and always will be, one of the greatest.

It was 1964, I was 14 years old. It seems so long ago - well, it was. I was in the seminary in Subiaco Arkansas listening one night to Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston. It started a love of boxing that lasted a very long time.

This film was a blend of talking and boxing. It kept you glued to the screen so you wouldn't miss a word or a moment of action.

It was a well balanced film; giving the good and the bad. You gained a real insight into Muhammad Ali, and into those who fought him. A fight with Ali was literally a lifesaver for Ken Norton, who was broke.

An excellent documentary about a great man.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this film. I had not heard anything about it and when I was able to get a copy I figured it would be a puff piece, but it is much much more than that. Interviews with several opponents of Muhammad Ali reveal a lot about both the interviewees themselves, and their lives, and their almost unanimous love for Ali. Footage of each fighter's bouts with Ali is plentiful and exciting, and watching it will make you cry when you realize how much he has lost over the years. Something else that will make you cry is what one of his greatest opponents--I won't say who it is---cries openly for Ali and calls him "a great guy...and I hope he gets to live the way we all live...he's earned it." This film just knocked "Tyson" out of the top spot in my best sports documentaries of the year list.

Not sure I understand why this film does not have a higher rating. It is a riveting look into the spirits and circumstances of some compelling people. The nature of Boxing was elevated to international proportions entirely by the character of Muhamed Ali. At the end you see the shadow of Don King, who ushered in its death. It is a portrait of a moment in time as remembered by the old dragons who lived it. It is a perfect film, describing a rare and luminous moment inside a deeply troubled country and among the black man and white society. There will never be a moment in time to match it, not in our lifetimes. Everything about this film is compelling.