Ali (2001)
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The film follows the decade-long journey of boxer Muhammad Ali from his first heavyweight title win to his ultimate reclamation of the championship.
The story
The film focuses on ten years in the life of the boxer Muhammad Ali, beginning with his capture of the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston in 1964. After winning the title, Clay is given the name Muhammad Ali by the Nation of Islam. The narrative follows his rise to fame, his personal life including his marriage to Sonji Roi, and his eventual refusal of the Vietnam War draft, which leads to his stripping of boxing licenses and a prison sentence. The story tracks his eventual comeback and his path toward reclaiming the heavyweight championship.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Before his championship debut, Cassius Clay Jr. taunts and dominates Sonny Liston, eventually winning the heavyweight title after Liston quits in Round 6. Clay is later renamed Muhammad Ali by the Nation of Islam. He marries Sonji Roi, an ex-Playboy Bunny, but they later divorce. Ali refuses the Vietnam War draft, resulting in his title being stripped and a five-year prison sentence. After his conviction is overturned, he returns to boxing, defeating Jerry Quarry and losing to Joe Frazier in the 'Fight of the Century.' Ali then travels to Kinshasa, Zaire, for 'The Rumble in the Jungle' against George Foreman. During the fight, Ali employs the 'Rope-a-dope' tactic, leaning against the ropes to tire Foreman out. He eventually knocks out the exhausted Foreman to regain the Heavyweight Championship.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 159
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Michael Mann
- Writers
- Michael Mann · screenplay; Eric Roth · screenplay; Stephen J. Rivele · screenplay; Christopher Wilkinson · screenplay; Gregory Allen Howard · story
- Cast and characters
- Will Smith · Cassius Clay Jr. / Muhammad Ali; Jamie Foxx · Drew Bundini Brown; Jon Voight · Howard Cosell; Mario Van Peebles · Malcolm X; Ron Silver · Angelo Dundee; Jeffrey Wright · Howard Bingham; Mykelti Williamson · Don King; Jada Pinkett Smith · Sonji Roi
- Genres
- biographical drama; sports drama
- Themes
- Race and ethnicity; Religion; Identity
- Tone and mood
- Epic; Biographical
- Premise and plot tags
- Sports drama; Based on actual events
- Source material / true-story basis
- Muhammad Ali's life
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics but was a box-office failure, grossing $87.7 million against a production budget of between $107–118 million.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actor · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · Nomination
- Production trivia
- Will Smith had to gain weight to look the part of Muhammad Ali.; Michael Mann turned down The Aviator, Shooter, and Savages to commit to Ali.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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