Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World

Big George Foreman (Khris Davis), poor, angry, scared–packed with potential. Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World is his story from poverty to the workforce to the ring, and everything in between. Foreman’s life was anything but simple, and this biopic pulls no punches, refusing to push any sort of a narrative on viewers, telling the truth and nothing but.

Younger generations tend to know George Foreman as the guy that used to sell grills on television, the guy that attempted to promote healthy eating in new and interesting ways–but there is so much more to him, so much more that happened before he became the health advocate that people seem to remember him for now. Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World tells all, and I think it’s important that they showcase the character in a way that allows viewers from all walks of life to appreciate him. We don’t just see the pastor, or the boxer, the struggling husband, or any other singular aspect of his journey through life–but Director George Tillman Jr. combines them all in a massive package that allows us to fully understand the Heavyweight Champion of the world.

Viewers are transported back to the 1950’s, then the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. There’s no room for mediocrity in this department or Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World fails to reach viewers–and a suspension of disbelief seems impossible. More than anything else in the entire film, I love the set design–I love that I felt like I was dropped down in 1960’s Texas or placed ring side at the Rumble in the Jungle–and not a second passed in which the sets didn’t reflect the time period in which we are expected to see.

In terms of storytelling, however, I’m not sure that Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World finds its way. The film covers about thirty-years of Foreman’s life, and while that’s certainly a possibility in just over two hours, I found that the film rushed too much in certain moments. Parts of Foreman’s story that should have been more developed and seen more screen time didn’t have the chance to come alive as I had hoped, and with some really sharp and choppy transitions to new times, Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World can’t showcase Foreman’s story as effectively as intended. We get just about every major component of his life throughout the course of the film–but without the proper time to fully develop, viewers are left wanting more and wondering if they possibly missed something along the way.

Davis, while he has found himself a part of some spectacular productions, is relatively unknown in Hollywood. Casting Directors Lindsay Graham Ahanonu and Mary Vernieu make a stellar decision in casting this young man to play the titular role. He fits the bill aesthetically, and because of his quasi-obscurity, he allows for a stronger suspension of disbelief and really welcomes viewers into this story as if it were the real thing. Beyond that, however, Davis is brilliantly talented–and he carries himself in a way that lights up the screen, bolsters those emotional moments, and allows even the choppiest moments of the film to hold some water. While Davis may not be the real Foreman, he certainly packs a punch, and he alone has the potential to make Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World a success.

Sports films for sports fans just hit different; they have the potential to excite, crush, and downright enamor these audiences. Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World extends itself beyond just sports, however. While it still reached me on a deeply emotional level as a result of its connection to sports, the emotional relevance strewn throughout the rest of the film hit me in a different capacity–mirroring the real world in so many ways. Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World is a film for all people, not just sports fans–and this story is sure to resonate with all.

Directed by George Tillman Jr.

Written by Frank Baldwin, George Tillman Jr., & Dan Gordon.

Starring Khris Davis, Jasmine Mathews, Sullivan Jones, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., John Magaro, Sam Trammell, Sonja Sohn, Forest Whitaker, Shein Mompremier, etc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10