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Resurrecting the Champ

Gritty enough

By TOM MEEK | August 22, 2007

2.5 Stars

VIDEO: Watch the trailer for Resurrecting the Champ.

As a struggling Denver sportswriter, half out of a marriage and living in his father’s shadow, Erik (Josh Hartnett) needs the next big scoop to revive his career and his home life. His panacea comes in the form of the Champ (Samuel L. Jackson), a homeless man who professes to be Bob Satterfield, a brain-dead boxer who got into the ring with such titans as Rocky Marciano and Jake LaMotta. A cover story, a gig on Showtime, and a potential Pulitzer fall into Erik’s lap, but journalistic snags bring complications. Directed by Rod Lurie (The Contender) and based on an article in the LA Times, the film pits gloss and fame against truth, integrity, and family. It’s gritty enough as the two men fight for redemption, but the maudlin turns near the final bell mute Champ’s resonance.

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Topics: Reviews , Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Jake LaMotta, More

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[ 02/20 ] "Optical Noise: American & British Prints/Films from the 1960s-1970s: @ David Winton Bell Gallery

[ 02/20 ] Third Annual Providence Children's Film Festival @ Cable Car Cinema

[ 02/20 ] "The Providence Postcard Project" @ Brown University's Granoff Center, Martinos Auditorium

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