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Born a Champion

  • 2021
  • R
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
Dennis Quaid, Sean Patrick Flanery, Katrina Bowden, and Edson Barboza in Born a Champion (2021)
Watch Born a Champion - Trailer
Play trailer2:18
2 Videos
39 Photos
ActionDramaSport

Mickey Kelley, one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned MMA tournament.Mickey Kelley, one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned MMA tournament.Mickey Kelley, one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned MMA tournament.

  • Director
    • Alex Ranarivelo
  • Writers
    • Sean Patrick Flanery
    • Alex Ranarivelo
  • Stars
    • Courtney Hope Turner
    • Maurice Compte
    • Sean Patrick Flanery
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    5.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alex Ranarivelo
    • Writers
      • Sean Patrick Flanery
      • Alex Ranarivelo
    • Stars
      • Courtney Hope Turner
      • Maurice Compte
      • Sean Patrick Flanery
    • 109User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos2

    Born a Champion - Trailer
    Trailer 2:18
    Born a Champion - Trailer
    Born a Champion
    Trailer 2:18
    Born a Champion
    Born a Champion
    Trailer 2:18
    Born a Champion

    Photos38

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    + 33
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    Top cast45

    Edit
    Courtney Hope Turner
    Courtney Hope Turner
    • Interviewer
    • (voice)
    Maurice Compte
    Maurice Compte
    • Rosco
    Sean Patrick Flanery
    Sean Patrick Flanery
    • Mickey Kelley
    Christopher Troy
    Christopher Troy
    • Parking Lot Drunk Guy #1
    Christian Howard
    Christian Howard
    • Parking Lot Drunk Guy #2
    Kit Dale
    • Parking Lot Drunk Guy #3
    Forrest Lucas
    • Mr. Miller
    Katrina Bowden
    Katrina Bowden
    • Layla
    Charlotte Lucas
    • Mrs. Miller
    Landry Barb
    Landry Barb
    • Passenger
    Ali Afshar
    Ali Afshar
    • Sheik Bin Khalid
    David Kait
    • Stelios
    Costas Mandylor
    Costas Mandylor
    • Dimitris
    Steve Tanabe
    Steve Tanabe
    • Alvah
    Jahanshah Afshar
    • Shahid
    Chris Boudreaux
    Chris Boudreaux
    • Jimmy
    Edson Barboza
    Edson Barboza
    • Marco
    Reno Wilson
    Reno Wilson
    • Terry Pittman
    • Director
      • Alex Ranarivelo
    • Writers
      • Sean Patrick Flanery
      • Alex Ranarivelo
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews109

    6.85.1K
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    Featured reviews

    9twodiamonds

    wasn't expecting this to be so awesome

    Really enjoyed the storyline and the characters in this martial arts film. the acting was solid and the story kept you connected throughout. was not in touch with sean patrick flanery's acting although i have seen him from time to time. i had to go back and watch some of his previous movies and have become a new fan. loved katrina bowden in tucker and dale vs. evil and she had a moving role in this movie. watch this you won't be disappointed.
    7A_Different_Drummer

    the more it breaks genre, the more entertaining it gets

    The script is so ambitious that it never settles on a single theme for more than a few minutes. Equal parts sports drama, MMA, romance, inspirational, motivational, and yesterday's lunch. Strangely it is precisely this lack of traditional story-telling -- an anti-Rocky if you like -- that keeps it interesting. Flanery, softspoken and sincere, is perfectly suited to ground the effort, and Alex Ranarivelo has the solid skills needed to keep things moving. The audience never gets quite what it expects -- the ending makes that more than clear -- and therein lies its charm.
    8drroshanortho

    Worth your time

    Its a feel good movie with a bit of everything. Nothing is spot on but evdrything is upto the mark. Lets say you are choosing what to watch and have nothing better to do then you wont be disappointed. Not recommended for children as its a little bloody and a few bad words. But sure give it a go.
    7calicut110

    It's cheesy but damn enjoyable

    This is very low budget and the writing and story have some craft issues. That said, if you can get to the core of the fight scenes and story you'll find some unique moments. The main actor is the best he's ever been and really showed the beauty of jiu jitsu. This is as much a rocky comeback story as it is an homage to the power of jiu jitsu. Now, imagine getting this main actor a top notch script, budget and director? I would pay to see that.
    9bardattack

    This was good!

    Not having heard anything about this movie, I expected a straight-to-video type martial arts film based on BJJ - considering there seems to be a few cash grabs out at the moment. I figured it would be half way decent because Sean Patrick Flanery is a solid actor. What I didn't expect was a damn good story with great performances all around. I was also surprised to learn that Sean is a legit BJJ black belt, which is obvious as soon as he gets on the mat. Seeing this movie more than makes up for having to sit through the last 5 bad ones.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      No stunt doubles were used for any of the fight or sparring scenes.
    • Crazy credits
      The first part of the credits shows Sean Patrick Flanery sparring with his son, who also played his son in the movie.

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    FAQ15

    • How long is Born a Champion?Powered by Alexa
    • true story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 22, 2021 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Nacido campeón
    • Production companies
      • ESX Entertainment
      • Forrest Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 52m(112 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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