Customer Reviews

Don King - Only In America [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have never seen a movie where the main character was portrayed with this kind of realism. I thought it actually WAS Don King the first time I saw this movie. Ving Rhames should have won Oscars, Emmys, and every kind of conceivable award for his portrayal of Don King. I mean he even has the voice inflections and mannerisms of Don King down to such a science it is unreal. I have never seen an actor portray anyone that well. I wish I could give this movie 10 stars. Ving Rhames IS Don King, from beginning to end. The man should have won an Oscar and an Emmy. I can't emphasize ENOUGH how well Ving Rhames plays Don King. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this movie.

Only in America could a small time numbers runner-con man from Cleaveland make it from a prison cell to being the most powerful man in the richest of sports...Don King is simply put the greatest promoter of all time and even in his seventies the man just flat out controls most of the strings of the sport. Ving Rhames becomes the character as we follow his trials and tribulations, and in a cool piece of screenplay, Don talks to the audience and himself explains what is going on in his life as he makes his way to the top, mowing away all opposition especially Bob Arum. Things still havent changed as he promotes most of the top players in boxing today, and will do so until he dies, if the man is not immortal.

it's been a long time, since i've bothered to write a review, seems these days, movies are all so, normal, nothing unique about them, it's sad really, this film, is unique, I relate this film to scarface, as well as blowing me away, ving rhames, makes you believe he is the great don himself, he took on the mob, and he lived, and he killed a man, and beat it, then he killed another, and he got misdeamanor, the man is a icon, one of the greatest showboats, to have ever lived, he's also very intelligent, and it's true, he shouldn't have got such a bad rep, but baby, that sells, violence, sex, crime, it all sells,the media, you know, this film is a 100 stars, if you don't see this, then I pity you, if you say this movie is ..., like reviewer number one, then your an ..., this film is brilliant, a masterpiece, this film is also almost out of print, obviously, like divinci, a true artist, isn't respected till he is gone, wan't a real world example? look at tupac shakur, when don is gone, no one will ever be like him again, so relish, his kinglyness, and buy this video, before it is, to late.

Ving Rhames should have gotten every award in 97 for this Gem.He was DON KING&that isn't easy.DOn King is One OF Sports Most Interesting People Ever.He was Marketing Product Long Before People had a Term for it.He Understood what worked for whomever was His Fighter at the Moment was.He said it best if their wasn't a Him they Hollywood would have too Create One.Love Him or Loath Him You Have Too Acknowledge His Impact on Society.Just the Electric Chair Hair Alone.The FIlm had a Solid Cast Very Well Done.

I can watch (and I try) this movie everyday. If you are in the game of promotions its a must have especially if you are a minority or Jewish. It shows what real hustle is all about. Sure many people have a lot of negative opinions of the King but check most people don't really know his story. At the end of the day what i came away with this movie is that you have to fight for what you want it will not be handed out freely. When you have to compete with people with more money and education amongst other things they not playing fair and when you play by their rules you are the bad guy. Don King just mastered the game the created and he beat them at it by any means necessary and i for one am not mad at him. If he had not been to aggressive we would know about Don King because they would not have cut him in. The man is no saint but he ain't the devil either he is human. This movie shows the affects of what hard work and success does to a human being- It can make you hard. I loved this movie the casting is great!!! SUPERB. Darius and Ving did a hell of a job!! so did Bernie Mac... I actually thought Darius was more believable then Will Smith ( will was not bad just that Darius captured Ali better). Great cast, great music Banging Movie.

This is one of the best movies I have seen. Ving Rhames is excellent,at times is hard to tell the difference between Ving and the Don King. I reccommnend this movie to any boxing enthusiast, or anyone interested in Don King.

Anyone who says they respect Don King's accomplishments after seeing this film and learning of what he has done to the sport of boxing and its inhabitants, need to be taken out back...

There is no praise-worthy form of corruption, I am sorry. You may feel a little sympathy for a pathetic character like that, but that person is not worthy of respect. Is it now tolerable to lie, cheat, rob and steal from another person? Is it okay to ruin the lives and careers of others for selfish purposes? All because someone is charismatic and personable? What is it all coming to? Pros: Ving did an awesome job of portraying DK. Honestly tries to portray King in his accurate light. Intriguing life, regardless. Good, solid direction. Great Ali impersonation. Good cinematography.

Cons: A bit rushed, loosely focused at times.

Rent it.

Ving Rhames & company make excellent use of a GREAT script to bring this sleazy American original to life. Brilliant use of dramatic devices such as King playing spin control directly in the viewer's face. Director Herzfeld works the edgy subject matter very well.

Had this been a theatrical release (instead of an HBO original), I expect it would have won Oscars. It's THAT good. Lends insight to the 1996 "Rumble in the Jungle" documentary When We Were Kings.

The only things I knew about Don King was that he's a fight promoter and that wild hair he has. I like fight movies even if I don't like the reality of it. Weird huh? Ving Rhames was wonderful as Don King. I can understand why he won a Golden Globe award (which he gave to Jack Lemmon). Don King wouldn't have been so gracious. He was arrogant, mean (he killed a guy, beat him to death), racist (but a reason comes up in the film) and generally unlikeable. But Ving made him three dimensional in such a way that I admired King. He's smart and savvy (even if he does butcher the English language). He has a lot of spunk and drive. If he could have been honest with himself and others, no telling what he could have accomplished.

This movie has great moments. My favorite was when he was selling the idea of helping him get Mohammad Ali to participate in a fundraiser for a Black hospital. He was caught by a preacher and his wife using the MF bomb. So he turned that around in such a way that was hilarious.

Excellent movie. Ving Rames plays an excellent Don King. I thought he was the real Don King. I recommend this movie to all boxing fans.