“Resurrecting the Champ” (The Yari Film Group)
A Good Film You Probably Won’t See
“Resurrecting the Champ” is a movie you probably won’t see. It doesn’t have car chases or robots or pirates or green ogres in it. It is a movie about relationships and that usually spells death for any movie. It also is a movie that has to depend on word of mouth to get people inside the theaters, and by the time word of mouth gets out on this one it probably will have left your local theater. So maybe, just maybe, it will finds its audience on DVD. Let’s hope so.
Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) is a sports reporter for “The Denver Times.” He is separated from his wife Joyce (Kathryn Morris) and not having a great career either. His wife is also a reporter but she has met with more success. Erik lives in the shadow of his sports announcer father and wants to be a hero in the eyes of his small son Teddy (Dakota Goyo).
One day he meets a homeless man on the streets of Denver. This man calls himself “Champ” (Samuel L Jackson) and claims he is former boxing champion Bob Satterfield. Erik sees this story as his ticket to greatness. He sells it to a magazine but they want it quicker than he had expected. Because of this he doesn’t get to do a lot of research.
After the story is printed the fame does come, but also the fall. This is where the beauty of the film comes in and makes this movie one of the better ones of the summer. The questions are raised as to what makes us heroes in the eyes of our children, and how far should we go to achieve that position.
Jackson’s performance as the “Champ” is the type to which award nominations usually attach. He attacks each nuance of the role and makes it perfect. It is his best performance in years, completely unique and full of stunning revelations.
Jackson’s greatness inspires Hartnett to do his best work ever. He is no longer the insecure young actor who got by more on his looks than his talent. In this role he is a strong performer who allows himself to be totally immersed in the role.
Strong supporting performances are the order of the day here. Alan Alda, Peter Coyote, Teri Hatcher and David Paymer all appear for a moment or two on screen and add to the total picture being painted.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
If you like movies that have a strong message, a likeable cast, and an emotional story then you should thoroughly enjoy “Resurrecting the Champ.” It is a sleeper film that might pass by without getting the attention it deserves. Don’t let it pass by you.
I scored “Resurrecting the Champ” an alive 7 out of 10.
