Resurrecting the Champ

2007 "Based on a true story, that was based on a lie."
6.7| 1h52m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 14 June 2007 Released
Producted By: Battleplan Productions
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

Up-and-coming sports reporter rescues a homeless man ("Champ") only to discover that he is, in fact, a boxing legend believed to have passed away. What begins as an opportunity to resurrect Champ's story and escape the shadow of his father's success becomes a personal journey as the ambitious reporter reexamines his own life and his relationship with his family.

Genre

Drama

Watch Online

Resurrecting the Champ (2007) is now streaming with subscription on Prime Video

Director

Rod Lurie

Production Companies

Battleplan Productions

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

Stream on any device, 30-day free trial
Watch Now
Resurrecting the Champ Videos and Images
View All
  • Top Credited Cast
  • |
  • Crew

Resurrecting the Champ Audience Reviews

Protraph Lack of good storyline.
Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
Brainsbell The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.
Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
tieman64 Directed by Rod Lurie, "Resurrecting the Champ" stars Samuel L. Jackson as a homeless man who appears to be Bob Satterfield, a once-famous professional heavyweight boxer. Satterfield is stumbled upon by a journalist desperate for a unique story, played by Josh Hartnett.To say any more about "Champ" would be to spoil several key revelations. Suffice to say that the film watches as its characters wallow in insecurity and self-hate. The film's awash with fathers, sons, performers and onlookers, all of whom are sold, and so desperately reach for, certain notions of success, conquest and masculinity. Teri Hatcher co-stars. Jackson is largely unconvincing in a tricky role.7.9/10 – Worth one viewing.
trupti-gupta29 This is one of those films, that have a lot to offer but are lost somewhere under the overpowering dazzle of films with breath-taking special effects and cutting-edge action. 'Resurrecting the Champ' is a film that stands there silently, waiting for someone to notice.Leaving all the facts aside, I saw the film, only as a film. I did not watch it to weigh the truth of the story. I watched it to watch a film and ended up watching a film that was worth every minute of my time and attention.Its great story and remarkable acting in all pack a fantastic 'punch'. The story twists in the most unimaginable way. At first you disagree with this 'twist', then, like the protagonist, you are left with no choice but to agree with what's being played out in front of you. You, stand alongside the protagonist to accept the faults and make a change that's here to stay.
sddavis63 "Resurrecting The Champ" is a solid movie that - if I might use a boxing metaphor - may not pack a punch, but nevertheless has an impact on those who view it. It has surprises packed within it - it's not exactly what you expect it to be and it turns out to go in a direction that you weren't expecting because it seemed to be heading in completely different directions. And in the end it turns out to be a pretty moving and powerful statement about the importance of honesty in life and how we all need to live (and die) with integrity, honest about ourselves and able to be proud of ourselves.You get the impression (from the title and from the early direction of the movie) that this is going to be a story about a down on his luck ex- boxer and how he got there. As the homeless ex-boxer, Samuel L. Jackson was good. He's "discovered" one night by Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) - a reporter covering the local boxing beat for the Denver Times who dreams of bigger things and is frustrated both by his limited role with the paper and by having to live up to the reputation of his late father - a famous sportscaster. Kernan stumbles upon the homeless man after covering a fight, discovers that he's a former contender named Bob Summerfield (but who goes by the name of Champ) and decides that this is his path to greater things - he'll write a human interest story about this guy that will get him national attention. You anticipate that this is going to become the story of Champ, an anticipation that seems to come true when we start to be introduced to some flashback scenes of Champ's career, but the movie finally takes a completely unanticipated twist. After publishing the story and getting lots of attention and job offers, it's discovered that Champ isn't who he's been claiming to be. He's a fraud, and Kernan didn't investigate enough about his background, which leads to all sorts of trouble for both he and his paper.Here's the key to the movie - it's not a boxing story and not a flashback to Champ's career and not the story of Kernan's rise to fame. It's a moral lesson about honesty. Kernan's been lying to his 6 year old son for years about the celebrities he claims to know (John Elway, for example, who Kernan tells his son he's best friends with but doesn't really know, and who makes a cameo in the movie in a very awkward scene for Kernan and his son). He's living a fantasy, and then gets taken in by somebody else whose whole life is a fantasy (Champ has been impersonating Summerfield for years.) Everything comes crashing down for Kernan, because everything in his life has been a lie.The end of the movie becomes an ode to honesty. After being outed for his fraudulent story, Kernan still has to suck it up and attend career day at his son's school with all the kids knowing that his big story was a lie; he has to face the real Summerfield's son; he has to try to rebuild his relationship with his son. Meanwhile, Champ faces a confrontation of his own near the end of the movie with a local tough guy who's taken pleasure over the years in beating him up - finally telling the guy who he really is, decking his tormentor and declaring himself (as I presume he was) the "golden gloves champ of California.) Champ then dies, apparently having come to peace with himself and his life and having rediscovered his own pride in the things he had accomplished.I wouldn't call this an especially powerful movie. It's a good movie and a solid movie which basically holds up the importance of the value of honesty and the importance of taking pride in who you are - whatever your circumstances in life. It's backed by solid performances from the leads, and a good supporting cast featuring a well known actor such as Alan Alda as Kernan's boss at the paper and lesser known actors who offer their own good performances. All in all, it's very well done. (7/10)
Adam Kane I just finished watching Resurrecting The Champ and enjoyed this film. This film was shot in Calgary, Alberta and Denver, Colorado. I think it's funny how our American neighbours to the South love to use Western Canadian cities to imitate there own. Samuel L. Jackson has actually shot a few films in Canada and I had a friend see him in the local comic book store in Oakville, Ontario when he did unbreakable which is also a very good film. This time out Samuel L. Jackson plays a homeless boxer who calls himself "The Champ". I like Josh Harnett as well but it depends on the movie. He played a pretty good performance but Samuel L. Jackson makes this film. This story is very heartfelt and sad. I liked how the film pieced together and the ending is great. I just watched Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War last night and that movie had a way bigger cast and budget but was not even as good as this movie.