Resurrecting the Champ

Currently, "Resurrecting the Champ" has a relatively low score of 6.7 on IMDB. I say low because, oddly, 6.7 is about average and the film is far better than an average movie. It's just too good for such a paltry score.

The movie is a dramatizing of real events. Not surprisingly, Hollywood made a few changes to 'improve' the story....in other words, to make it more cinematic. Fortunately, these changes are minor.

A writer (Josh Hartnett) meets a homeless guy (Samuel L. Jackson) who apparently is the ex-boxing great, Bob Satterfield. The writer's career is struggling and he wants to make a splash...and he eventually comes up with the idea of doing a 'where are they now' feature on the guy. The article turns out to be a sensation and the LA Times is thrilled. But, being a movie, there of course is MUCH more to the story and I don't want to say more, as it would ruin the suspense.

The acting is quite nice here but the best thing about the film is the writing. The story is very interesting and engaging....and well worth your time even if you are NOT a boxing fan...which, I am not.

Okay, the film is actually pretty good and a far cry from what I expected, though nowhere near as good as a 10 Star film that I've seen listed on many of these comments. The film is passable, and even enjoyable at times, with a good message and a meaningful story about fathers and sons at its core.

Hartnett, like the rest of the cast, do a serviceable job and the acting is pretty good throughout the film, though people thinking Jackson will win or even be nominated for a flick like this need to put down the Kool Aid. It's a nice little film, a modest surprise even, but hardly anything award worthy.

You can read my full review online at RazorFine Review.

This movie deserves more attention that what it has now (and distribution). Samuel L. Jackson played against type and did a wonderful job. It was also Josh Hartnett's best performance. The story is thought-provoking, heart-warming, and interesting.

The writing is solid and the performances impressive across the board -- even the kid who played Hartnett's son was excellent. As a writer, I really appreciate the themes on telling the truth, fame, integrity, responsibilities, talent, etc. The father-son theme echoes throughout the entire film. Like Field of Dreams, this is a guy's chick flick. Take your husbands, sons or fathers and go see this movie.

This movie is a gem, perhaps hasn't been marketed enough for most people to know it. But way better than half the stuff that is out there now, and a totally unexpected story. I'd definitely suggest going to see it before it's out of theaters. Samuel L. Jackson does an extraordinary job in a role you wouldn't normally associate him with. And Josh Hartnett really proves he's got acting chops. This is yet another film that proves that you don't need a blockbuster hit to find quality entertainment. It's well written, it's well acted, and in the ever predictable world that is most Hollywood products Resurrecting the Champ is a beacon of original beauty.

I saw this film at the premier at Sundance. I went into the film expecting to see another typical action packed boxing movie. However, I was greatly impressed with the film, it was a lot better than I had expected. The performances by all the actors were solid. I was especially impressed with Dakota Goyo, who played Teddy, and apparently so was Josh, who commented on how easy it was for him to play his own role because of the level of talent Dakota has. Also, all three female characters played solid roles, which enhanced the depth of Josh Hartnett's character. This movie was able to provide a great story without the usual trash that's seen in many of the films we see today. This movie emphasized the importance of values and honesty which I think everyone needs to be reminded of.