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.

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 had the privilege of seeing an advance screening of "Resurrecting the Champ" earlier tonight, followed by a Q & A with director Rod Lurie and screenwriter Michael Bortman. This is an extraordinary motion pictures. In my opinion, this film has the best writing, characterization and dramatic construction of any film released so far this year. The performances are stellar across the board, with a special mention to the film's leads, Josh Hartnett and Sam Jackson. Hartnett's character is torn between his ambition as an up and coming investigative journalist and his integrity as a man, a husband, a father and a son. Jackson plays "Champ", a one-time up and coming boxer who climbs the ranks to #3 in the world, to eventually be reduced to a homeless man scaling the trash cans of Denver.

Hartnett and Jackson create an unexpected friendship in his quest to write a magazine article about the journey of this man's forgotten life. Along the way, the film explores the themes of integrity, honesty, vulnerability, authenticity, truth, consequence, and family is an entertaining, emotional and significant fashion. The entire film breathes energy into the value and importance of responsibility and trust, and how abusing them can lead to consequences that can only be cured by forgiveness and a re-commitment to being true to one's character. The way that Hartnett's characters comes to understand the damages he could do to his relationship with his son, by living through it with champ is powerful and a important lesson for all parents.

I truly hope this film gets the respect and attention it deserves from critics and audiences alike. Comes Oscar time, I would come to expect "Resurrecting the Champ" to be on the minds of many. When it comes to films that you can sense the passion and heart of the storytelling being present in every frame, this one is near the top of that list. 10/10!

Hi, today I was reading the Los Angeles Times magazine and saw a full page ad on the movie. I said to myself, "that looks like the Champ, I knew". I looked at the website for the movie and found that it in fact was about "Bobby Satterfield" the Champ I knew. A little about myself that will tell you that the story is true. I was a Police Officer in Santa Ana, CA for 25 yrs and worked the area that the Champ lived in. I have not seen the movie in that it is due out on Friday, but have read the article and still have a copy of it, that was in the L.A. Times. All of us cops knew the Champ as Bobby Satterfield and knew no different until the article about him came out in the paper. The Champ was truly a homeless person even though he had an ex-wife that lived on Polplar St in Santa Ana. The Champ was a kind person who had a shopping cart(a Santa Ana Winnebago) that he kept all sorts of junk in. He was no harm unless he was drunk and then could become very aggressive. He would go to liquor stores with a little broom and sweep up and pick up around the store, and probably get a beer for it. I always got along well with the Champ and always said Hi to him and sometimes even gave him a few bucks(he never panhandled me or asked). I do know that he had some pretty good fights with some of my cohorts when he was drunk however. I hope that he got a few bucks out of this film(I don't even know if he is still alive, I retired 6 yrs ago and he was looking aged then). I can not wait to see the movie. I am not sure how or what they portray him as, but the basic facts are true. I can always be contacted if you desire. Enjoy

This was a very entertaining film with just the right mixture of action, drama, romance and intrigue. The latter - a big shock that occurs two-thirds of the way through the story - gives it its unique flavor. Otherwise, it's still a nice story of fathers-and-sons and the love and respect that's so important between the two of them. It also involves husbands and wives reconciling.

I've seen Samuel L. Jackson in a lot of movies and so I am quite aware what a fine actor he is, so I wasn't surprised he was so good in this film. However, I was still stunned at his performance. It's definitely the best character I've seen him play, partly because of his sentimental role but more so simply because he dominated this film. Josh Hartnett was fine in the co-leading role of this story but it was Jackson who really got my attention in every scene.

This is a very involving story that grabs you and won't let go. What is it about boxing stories, or stories that involve boxers, that make them so memorable? I don't know, but I've seen very few bad ones and certainly no boring ones. Many of them, like this one, have more of a human element than just being a sport story. Actually, there isn't a lot of ring action in this film, so I wouldn't label it a boxing film. As a drama, or whatever you want to label it, it's a fine movie and a good way to spend two hours.

Highly recommended.