Resurrecting The Champ
Reviewer: Tom Leins
Issue 104 June 2008
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Boxing clever?
The Lowdown: When struggling sports reporter Erik Kernan sees a gang of jeering thugs beating on a grizzled old-timer, he accidentally stumbles across a potential career-making story. This hobo is none other than ‘Battlin’ Bob Satterfield’, a former heavyweight contender who used to be someone. But will this story resurrect his waning career?
Review: Despite respectable reviews, boxing flick Resurrecting The Champ was dumped on its arse on the canvas at the US box office. Part father and son bonding exercise, part study of journalistic integrity, part fading-icon sports movie, it is an admittedly awkward blend of styles that doesn’t always convince. Luckily, the absorbing performances from Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Hartnett keep things ticking over nicely, even when the quasi-fictional plot isn’t entirely sure where it is treading.
Samuel L. Jackson’s affected performance as Satterfield has won most of the plaudits so far, but in fairness, Josh Hartnett is equally impressive as the reporter struggling with all-consuming morality issues. Although Hartnett is generally overshadowed by Jackson when they share the screen, the passages in which he lies to his young about his high profile sporting friends are genuinely affecting. Suffice to say, Kernan’s truth issues don’t end there, and by the second half of the film we are looking at a much murkier scenario.
Resurrecting The Champ is overly sentimentalised at times and the parallels between down and out Satterfield and struggling sports hack Erik are sometimes clumsily drawn, but ultimately it ducks and weaves past the heaviest critical blows thanks to the compelling central performances. Impressive cameos from Teri Hatcher and Peter Coyote add another touch of class to the proceedings. The special features are bog-standard, with just a director’s commentary, a featurette and cast and crew interviews, but Resurrecting The Champ is a rewarding movie spiked with inspired/inspiring moments.
FILM: 7 EXTRAS: 5
DVD Info:
US Certificate: PG13
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Alan Alda, Kathryn Morris
Directed By: Rod Lurie, 2007
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Visuals: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Running Time: 112mins
Price: £16.99
Special Features:
Scene Selection
Audio Commentary With Director Rod Lurie
‘Resurrecting The Champ Featurette’
Cast and Crew Interviews
Theatrical Trailer
