Really Surprised!

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The great Ving Rhames plays a local Cleveland bookie and some time ex-con maneuvering his way to the top of the nascent and dynamic world of pro boxing.Rhames, best known for his role as Pulp Fiction's gang thug Marcellus Wallace, plays a different type of tough guy and hustler in the form of an animated and verbally combative Don King; a persona he nails. Only in America also cameos Bernie Mac, Jeremy Piven and the late soul singer Lou Rawls.For as much as other films like Any Given Sunday and Jerry Maguire have endeavored to depict the perceived evil, cutthroat and slimy nature of sports promoters, Only in America does so not by belaboring its players as bad people. Rather Don King's character is flamboyant, very human, and so exciting that, as he puts it "If you didn't have Don King, you'd have to invent him." written by Andy Frye, MySportsComplex.blogspot.com

Ving Rhames is a truly amazing actor and always gives a wonderful performance. I always think of him as electronic expert Luther Stickell in the Mission Impossible movie series with Tom Cruise. In this film, he tackles a very challenging role and pulls it off magnificently! He should have gotten an Emmy for his outstanding work as a true American monster Don King. Don King was inducted into the boxing hall of fame recently, can you believe that? Someone said that is like burying Benedict Arnold in Arlington Cemetary. Don King did not hold anything remotely resembling an honest job until he was 40 years old and went into boxing promoting. He was nothing but a common criminal. He was a numbers runner for the Clevland syndicate and killed two men. In the first case, it was ruled justifiable homicide, in the second case it was more despicable. This man beat another man to death on a public street in front of many eyewitnesses. He literally kicked him to death until his brain ruptured. For this crime he only served a few years in prison. Rhames made me laugh in this film with his amusing portrayal of King's flamboyance and colorful use of words, but there is nothing funny about this man and the damage that he did to boxing. The most horrible thing that he did, and I WANT EVERYONE READING THIS ON IMDB TO HEAR THIS!!!LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING. In 1980, Muhammad Ali came out of retirement to fight Larry Holmes in an effort to become the only man to ever regain the title three times. Before this fight, Ali had to have a physical at the Mayo clinic which is one of the finest clinics in the US. They sent a report of their findings to Don King and he supressed this report and let the fight go on. They found out that Ali literally had a hole in the membranes surrounding his brain. He admitted that he had tingling in his hands and slurring of his speech. All they would have to do is listen to tapes of him from ten years before to hear how his voice had changed. He couldn't do simple things like hopping or touching his nose with his finger (the things police have people do to take a DUI test). Don King talked of how much he "loved" Ali. IF HE LOVED HIM SO DAMN MUCH WHY OH WHY DIDN"T HE CANCEL THE FIGHT. King was so powerful do you think that he couldn't have done it. Eddie Futch was one of the legendary trainers in boxing. He trained Joe Frazier and said he loved him like a son. In the third fight he had with Ali in Manilla, Eddie stopped the fight because he knew Frazier was blind and couldn't defend himself. Keep in mind, he thought Frazier was ahead on points and it was the last round. That is a true gentleman and that is what Don King should have done with the Ali Holmes fight. Ali suffered a horrible beating that was unbearable to watch. Sylvester Stallone said it was like watching an autopsy on a living person. Ali was damaged even more by this fight and it was all because of a scumbag named Don King. Don King is a monster and he is like a Frankenstein monster because we made him and we let him get away with it. Joe Louis must be turning in his grave!!!!!

"Don King: Only in America" is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. If it wasn't a TV movie, Ving Rhames should have won an Oscar for his brilliant portrayal of this complicated man. The film is riveting from start to finish as we see King at his beginnings as a small time crook, until what he ended up- a big time crook. The film is a masterpiece- every scene works perfectly. Perhaps the best scenes in the movie are the ones with King alone in a boxing ring talking directly to the camera. Absolutely brilliant!

Call him flamboyant, egotistical, arrogant, a manipulator, self-centered, controversial love him or hate him Don King is without a doubt boxing greatest promoter in the history of boxing. Now after many viewings of Don King: Only In America I have come to realize and respect not only the accomplishments of Don King, but also his life in general. The 1997 HBO Original Movie portrayed in biography style as told through mostly the viewpoints of Don King himself, and by the way I must just mention Ving Rhames was great in his portrayal of King Ving's looks and voice fit that of the real Don King perfect it's like they are actual twins. The film begins in 1950's in Cleveland, Ohio when King was a street ghetto organized crime member who at the time was way down the food chain and generally got the short end of the deal in many ways. King was then incarcerated for four years for manslaughter when he brutally beat to death a man who owed him a debt. It was while in prison King got the idea of being a boxing promoter when he heard the radio broadcast of Ali-Frazier in March of 1971. Upon his release from prison and with help of good friend and club singer Mr.Price and his stepson Carl a benefit was organized when Muhammad Ali was invited to a children's hospital in Cleveland therefore money was raised to help start King's career as serious boxing promoter. Perhaps in boxing's most historical fight Ali vs. Foreman "The Rumble In Jungle" Don King showed his brilliance and smarts by having both Ali and Foreman to both sign for the same amount of money in the meantime neither would get the promised amount of money they were told. That fight turned out to be one of boxing's most successful thank god for Don King. King later parted ways with Foreman then later Ali. As King made Ali pay for his greediness King said it best there's more to life than Allah. King later promoted perhaps the best and most marketable fighter of our time the terrorizing Mike Tyson, now you talk about a good money investment. Don King is the most intelligent individual of our time you name it he can outsmart the FBI, IRS, state athletic commissions hey and I'm proud because we know how corrupt those authority agencies have come thank god for Don King! I'm proud to say Don King is a hero of mine because he fought for what he believed in. Be thankful folks for what he has done for the sport of boxing with his crusading for the sport. This movie is a must see for any boxing fan, I have it recorded and view it often. Finally Don King said it best it's all about entertainment heroes and villain I agree. Who can blame Don for his love of money. Like a respected friend told me money is what the world has come to sadly but surely. So admire Don King. Remember Money! Money! Money!