Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears

The Best Record of Frazier

     

This film is centered around Joe Frazier's story and background, not too much of his big fights and career in boxing (The other documentary, "Thrilla in Manila" does a nice job covering that).

This film explores Frazier's roots and values, and what you'll find is that Joe was someone who was very real, very genuine and sincere. There are very pleasurable parts in the film where you get to see Joe Frazier speak of his life and his career, and you will see how he is not bitter from his life winding down to poverty after boxing, or bitter that he doesn't have the high regard as Ali does in our society. What he IS bitter about, as I finally realized in this film, is how the man who he once called a friend, Ali, had turned on him after their championship match was declared.

Further into the film, you begin to realize that the documentary is recording Frazier in the end of his days. The film explores perhaps the most important aspect of Joe Frazier today, his legacy. You'll see that Joe was a man that thanklessly put every part of his being into helping his community, and how his son Marvis continues his fathers legacy with his own actions.

All in all, you'll get to know just who Frazier really was as a man, the way he approached life and boxing, and the effect he had on the people around him. Truly a great film about a great man.