Viewed in
2009
Premise
Part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, a documentary about Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes before their ill-fated fight in 1980.
Who should watch
Anyone interested in knowing who Larry Holmes was.
Thoughts
There were some interesting insights into the fight, and a lot of pre-fight footage that I've never seen. I loved the contrast between Ali and the down-to-earth, married Holmes. Obviously, some of it was intentional, but it was interesting to see the parallels and stability of Holmes' life in 1980 and three decades later.
For me, the biggest revelation was that Ali had already shown symptoms of nerve and brain damage beforehand. The further truth-digging of all the people who did not stop Ali made me angry and made the whole event and fight even more depressing.
The biggest flaw was the story-telling. The footage and contrast was great, but what about them? It felt like a behind-the-scenes featurette than a documentary with a clear direction or theme.
While I appreciated the footage and insights, the documentary was just as depressing as the fight itself.
What I would change
Not sure.
