Resurrecting the Champ (2007)

Director:

Rod Lurie

Writers (WGA):

Michael Bortman (screenplay) and
Allison Burnett (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Based on a true story, that was based on a lie.

Plot:

Up-and-coming sports reporter rescues a homeless man ("Champ") only to discover that he is, in fact, a boxing legend believed to have passed away. What begins as an opportunity to resurrect Champ's story and escape the shadow of his father's success becomes a personal journey as the ambitious reporter reexamines his own life and his relationship with his family. |

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Homeless Man | Boxing | Marital Separation | Separated

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Champ
Josh Hartnett	...	Erik Kernan Jr.
Kathryn Morris	...	Joyce Kernan
Dakota Goyo	...	Teddy Kernan
Alan Alda	...	Ralph Metz
Rachel Nichols	...	Polly
Teri Hatcher	...	Andrea Flak
Kristen Shaw	...	Perlmutter
Nick Sandow	...	Marciano
David Paymer	...	Whitley
Harry Lennix	...	Bob Satterfield Jr.
Peter Coyote	...	Ike Epstein
Ryan McDonald	...	Kenny
Chris Ippolito	...	Jaws
Jameson Trenholm	...	Runt

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence and brief language.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Brazil:12 (DVD rating) | Turkey:15+ (DVD rating) | Netherlands:12 | Czech Republic:12 | Hungary:16 (TV rating) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Denmark:15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Phoenix Pictures

Trivia:

The story was inspired by the article "Resurrecting the Champ" by J.R. Moehringer which appeared in the Los Angeles Times Magazine in 1997; although the article indeed purportedly focused on Bob Satterfield, there are various other differences with the true story. Moehringer had no children, and his father was not well-known though he did abandon his family when the writer was an infant.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Erik leaves Champ at the house they were conversing in front of, Champ is shown standing on the curb as he contemplates knocking on the door of the house. Then, as Erik is driving away, he looks into his rear-view mirror, and Champ is instantly shown standing in the middle of the street instead of on the curb.

Quotes:

Champ: There's a code of honor, you know.

Movie Connections:

References "Weeds" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Ready or Not

An Amazing Experience!

I saw this movie recently at a screening. Everybody's already talked about the plot so I don't need to get into those details. What I think this movie will be known for is its performances (more on that in a second...), and its how uplifting it is. You leave the movie feeling great and for reasons that I will not get into, it makes you want to call your dad and tell him how much you love him (or your son). A lot of people will talk about Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal of the worn-out boxer, but the true revelation of the film is the acting of Josh Hartnett, who I have never thought could be so believable or appealing. He has always been just kind of a pretty boy, really. But here, he plays a father, a husband, a journalist, and according to Aristotle's definition, a classic "Tragic Hero." He desires to impress his son to the degree that he sometimes bends the truth a bit too often...which ultimately annihilates his relationship with his son. The child, Teddy, is played by a kid named Dakota Goyo, who will become a big star. Teri Hatcher's cameo brought humor to the film when needed. If I had a criticism, it is that the film might be a tiny bit lengthy; however, every moment of the film was well-done. I wouldn't know how to make it shorter. I highly recommend this movie to everyone.