Facing Ali (2009)

I love documentaries. A good documentary can tear you apart and stick with you forever. I can't think of movies much more upsetting to me than Grizzly Man or the Cove. I watched one tonight that made me incredibly sad - Facing Ali.

This is a documentary from the standpoint of Ali's great opponents: Holmes, Foreman, Frazier - just to name a few. The clips from the old fights and interviews were incredible; any fan of Ali or boxing should watch it. I'm not really a fan of either, but I love a good story and a well made film. This one brought home a few huge points about boxing.

First, boxers come from poor neighborhoods, ethnic minorities, the projects; in short, from poverty. They are looking for a way to escape. You don't see a rich kid becoming world champ. Second is the obvious: boxing will ruin your body and possibly your mind. Ali is not interviewed for this film, but you see chronological footage of him meeting one boxer after another. Both Ali and the other boxes show the effects of the sport. It is not pretty.

Last, Ali was one of the most magnetic characters around - and people loved him. They didn't just respect him as a boxer, they idolized him. To a man, I believe, each of the boxers interviewed appreciated, at a minimum, what he did for their lives. See - boxing Ali meant a paycheck (some of these men needed a good meal), and a chance at a better life, not to mention fame. Even Frazier, who in the film has the hardest time with Ali on a personal level, seemed to respect him. Of course, that image could come across solely due to sympathetic editing on the part of the filmmaker. Even if that's the case, this is a great film - by the end I was barely able to watch Ali come out of retirement for one more fight. We all know the ending.

If you like this one or are interested in other boxing documentaries, try Tyson. Also try When We Were Kings (about the rumble in the jungle).