A Champion's Fight (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

James A. Contner

Writer (WGA):

Kathryn Pratt (written by)

Release Date:

7 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It took enormous courage to love this much. And even more to watch it die.

Plot:

Julie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower are high schoolers in love. They're lives are going great! Luke is...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Cancer | Parent | High School | Loss Of Husband

Cast

Beth Broderick	...	Patricia Ellis
Scott Vickaryous	...	Luke Muldenhower
Katie Gratson	...	Julie Ellis (as Katie Harrod)
Malcolm Stewart	...	Richard Ellis
Teryl Rothery	...	Dr. Sanchez
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Nancy Muldenhower
Lochlyn Munro	...	Steve
Aaron Smolinski
Emmanuelle Chriqui	...	Cindy
Gary Chalk
Kevin McNulty	...	Baylor

Also Known As:

A Champion's Fight: A Moment of Truth Movie (USA) (series title)
Shattered Hearts (USA)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

O'Hara-Horowitz Productions

Trivia:

Based on book "Don't Die, My Love" by Lurlene McDaniel

Quotes:

Patricia: Julie, nobody can tell you that they know what you're going through but I remember how I felt when my mother died. I was only 14 years old and there was really nobody to share it with. There were days when I thought I would just up and die.
Julie: That's how I feel
Patricia: I know...but sooner or later your going to have to go on with your life. That's what Luke would have wanted. He would want you to be happy.
Julie: How can I be happy without him?
Patricia: Because some day when you least expect it, you're going to fall in love again
[...]

From a prolific novelist of teen books

Even though this apparently is not a movie produced by Lifetime, it has Lifetime written all over it. It's based on a Lurlene McDaniel story of two teenagers in love, but the young man has cancer. McDaniel has written many novels for teens, often with a spiritual theme.

I can really see this film appealing to a young crowd, as it was intended. It's very sports-oriented - the boy, Luke, is the star quarterback at the high school. Beth Broderick plays the girl's mom, and she's always good, conveying an attorney's sophistication and later, compassion and support. Adrienne Barbeau is Luke's mom.

The story is poignant and also predictable. There really isn't anything exceptional about it, except Barbeau's problems with her employer.

Given all that, I cried like a baby and hated myself.