La rivincita del campione

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.

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

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.

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.

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.