Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/Ali

‘Ali’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan

July 7, 2026 · Ali (2001) · Biography · Drama · Sport · 1:56:32 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Van Lathan▶ 33:13Will Smith gives one of the strongest performances in a biopic whenever he's not talking (his reactions/silent moments are excellent), but he loses the audience when he tries to do Ali's actual speaking voice, which is 'impossible'.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 58:05The Sam Cooke opening into the Bundy intro/list scene; also loves the scene where Ali sells his belt to Bundini
Chris Ryan▶ 58:31The diner scene in Thief (the big-type romance/monologue scene)
Van Lathan▶ 58:44From Collateral: the 'hey homie, is that my briefcase' scene; and from Ali: the Bundini belt-selling scene and Ali watching Foreman knock out Joe Frazier

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:40Zaire — the film's Zaire/Foreman-fight setting ('Zaire, obviously, for sure')

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:56The Awakening of Ali
Chris Ryan▶ 1:20:24Considered several: 'The Political Education/Awakening of Muhammad Ali,' 'The Redemption of Muhammad Ali,' or for a straight boxing movie angle, 'The Champ Is Here' (playing off how movies are named now, like a mixtape/cash-in title); ultimately says he'd have to go with just 'Ali'

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:49The Blanchard-style jazz orchestral score
Van Lathan▶ 1:22:53Michael Mann's grainy digital look/cinematography, which doesn't always work for a period piece set in 1968

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:42Will Smith initially turned down 'Ali' but agreed after Ali personally called him; Simmons argues Smith was perfect due to his 6'3" frame and heavyweight look
Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:55Suggests the role was too intimidating for most actors and floats Denzel Washington as a hypothetical alternative to play Ali
Van Lathan▶ 1:35:19Doesn't think Denzel Washington would have worked as Ali, saying he's not physically big enough for the role

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:54Don King
Chris Ryan▶ 1:35:53Don King (also notes Giancarlo Esposito could count, but he's in Van's own 'flex category' instead)
Van Lathan▶ 1:36:00Made a case for James Toney, but ultimately places Giancarlo Esposito (as Ali's dad) in his own 'flex category' (the David Caruso CSI: Miami Award) rather than Dion Waiters

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:17Albert Hall was also the boat commander (Chief) in Apocalypse Now; jokes his living room set needed more furniture
Chris Ryan▶ 1:38:56Confirms Albert Hall plays Elijah Muhammad in this movie
Van Lathan▶ 1:38:53Albert Hall, who plays Elijah Muhammad in this movie, played the fictitious character Baines in Malcolm X, who leads Malcolm's prison conversion and introduces him to Elijah Muhammad

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:48Will Smith's Apex Mountain is late 90s: Independence Day/Enemy of the State era
Chris Ryan▶ 1:39:38Agrees Will Smith is currently taking an L (coming off Wawa West/wobbling), points discussion toward late 90s peak, and separately argues Ali/Insider is Michael Mann's Apex Mountain rather than Ali itself
Van Lathan▶ 1:40:01Will Smith's absolute peak of his powers is Hitch (2005), because he carries the film purely on charm without sci-fi conceits; also says the Insider-to-Ali run may be Michael Mann's career apex

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:31A prestige TV limited series with an all-black cast, reportedly $150 million for 10 hours, calling it 'the greatest'
Van Lathan▶ 1:44:46It's an Amazon project with Michael B. Jordan involved, likely about Muhammad Ali, with the actor who played Amon in Snowfall playing 'Sonny Liston'

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:44Referenced 'amalgam' and a 'big fat person' but the point is garbled/incomplete in transcript
Chris Ryan▶ 1:45:11Pete Rose (as 'Possaway') as Bundini Brown
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:45:28Ted Levine as the FBI agent (Buffalo Bill)

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:58Michael Fox (Jamie Foxx)
Van Lathan▶ 1:46:06Referenced Ali and someone named 'Jalen' but position unclear from garbled transcript

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:53Believes Sonny Liston threw the second fight against Ali (the 'phantom punch' fight) - points to his awkward, almost pro-wrestling-like fall as evidence
Bill Simmons▶ 1:47:17His memorabilia pick is the robe from the first Liston fight with 'the Lip' written on the back
Chris Ryan▶ 1:47:04The piece of movie memorabilia he'd want most is the hand tape the referee signs/checks at the start of the fight
Van Lathan▶ 1:46:24Says it's 'almost definitely' the phantom punch/thrown fight, citing lore that the mafia owned Liston and made him take a dive
Van Lathan▶ 1:47:33His memorabilia pick is the vintage gloves Will Smith used in the fight scenes

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:47:58The 'dude, free ain't easy, free is real, and real is a motherfucker' line from Coach Finstock

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:49:01Will Smith won in the moment, but over the years Michael Mann has won since he's the reason to keep coming back to the film
Chris Ryan▶ 1:48:10Michael Mann - his visual style is why he keeps returning to the film
Van Lathan▶ 1:48:31Jamie Foxx won the movie, using it as a blueprint (also notes Will Smith got his first Oscar nomination from it)

Movies Referenced (34)

Malcolm X (1992)

27 mentions · ▶ 6:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Collateral (2004)

9 mentions · ▶ 43:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

When We Were Kings (1996)

7 mentions · ▶ 4:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

6 mentions · ▶ 29:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Creed (2015)

4 mentions · ▶ 1:06:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hitch (2005)

3 mentions · ▶ 1:40:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hoop Dreams (1994)

3 mentions · ▶ 4:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raging Bull (1980)

3 mentions · ▶ 3:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

After Earth (2013)

2 mentions · ▶ 50:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Apocalypse Now (1979)

2 mentions · ▶ 1:39:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blue Steel (1990)

2 mentions · ▶ 1:09:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinderella Man (2005)

2 mentions · ▶ 3:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (8)

Michael Mann

29 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 0:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 23:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Walt Frasier

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 15:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

R. Kelly

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Space Jam▶ 1:27:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Luther King

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 8:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Stone

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 23:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Brady

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Hot Chick▶ 35:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Howard

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Beautiful Mind▶ 47:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (51)

Will Smith

46 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan · Known for Men in Black, I Am Legend▶ 2:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Muhammad Ali

20 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for When We Were Kings▶ 7:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Frazier

17 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Rocky▶ 1:02:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Howard Cosell

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck▶ 34:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don King

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan · Known for The Devil's Advocate▶ 34:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mario Van Peebles

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Heartbreak Ridge, Jaws: The Revenge▶ 22:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Cooke

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Innerspace, Green Lantern▶ 14:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Giancarlo Esposito

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Usual Suspects, The Jungle Book▶ 45:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Toney

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Ali▶ 1:03:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Morton

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Zack Snyder's Justice League▶ 12:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alexandre Prefontaine

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Death Race▶ 3:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Rock

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Top Five, The Longest Yard, Head of State▶ 51:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Malcolm X

47 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan · Known for Malcolm X, V for Vendetta▶ 6:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 7:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce McCall

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 46:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eric Roth

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Forrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button▶ 47:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Taking of Pelham 123, The Other Guys▶ 50:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗