Big George Foreman

Whether in the boxing ring, behind the grill, in the pulpit, or inside his own troubled mind, Big George Foreman is about a man with a legacy and spirit as broad as his massive physique.

So it’s disappointing that this faith-based biopic provides only Wikipedia-level insight into the fascinating life of the legendary heavyweight champion, and never feels as dynamic as its subject.

Heartfelt but formulaic, the film shoehorns Foreman’s remarkable story into a straightforward rags-to-riches framework before transitioning into a blandly inspirational redemption saga.

The story opens in the early 1960s, with George enduring racism and bullying as a child growing up in Houston, while his single mother (Sonja Sohn) struggles to make ends meet and keep a handle on George’s anger issues.

Simple-minded yet good-hearted, George (Khris Davis) seeks a brighter future as a teenager at a Job Corps site in California. There he meets a roommate (John Magaro) who becomes a trusted confidant, as well as an officer nicknamed Doc (Forest Whitaker) who gives him a second chance after an outburst.

Doc encourages George to join his fledgling boxing program, where initially his raw power captures the eye as much as his lack of technique. “You got a punch, but that’s about all you got,” Doc explains.

From there, Doc becomes his trainer through a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, his 1973 title win over Joe Frazier, the “Rumble in the Jungle” championship fight that ignited a rivalry with Muhammad Ali (Sullivan Jones), and his abrupt retirement to become a preacher.

Ten years later, after some unfortunate business decisions, he makes a historic comeback driven both by financial desperation and an underdog desire to reclaim the championship belt in his mid-40s.

Hampered by pedantic narration and pedestrian storytelling, the screenplay co-written by accomplished director George Tillman Jr. (The Hate U Give) finds a tighter focus in the second half.

However, it plays like a hagiographic highlight reel that too often glosses over Foreman’s personal flaws and professional shortcomings. He’s a larger-than-life figure who somehow feels thinly sketched. The film offers only a surface-level probe into his relationships, what fuels his spiritual transformation, and what makes him great.

Davis (Space Jam: A New Legacy) handles the physical rigors of the role while capturing Foreman’s infectious charisma. Still, as boxing movies go, Big George Foreman hardly packs a punch.

Rated PG-13, 129 minutes.