Sports writer Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) wishes to step out of the shadow of his respected father and be a hero to his son. He thinks he has his chance when he meets a homeless man who is called the Champ (Samuel L. Jackson). He says his name is Bob Satterfield and that he used to be a top boxer.

Everyone believed him to be dead but Kernan knows this story is a good one. So he spends more time with Champ and writes an article that brings him a lot of success. Then Kernan is stunned to learn that the man isn’t who he says he is and the life lessons connected with this story are just beginning.

CRITIQUE

The recent examples of reporters writing false stories, whether intentional or not, are unfortunately numerous. Film representations of these events are few so far, but this film is one of them. Resurrecting the Champ has heart along with its good performances, but it also has a story that calls for serious improvement.

The major and central misstep with the story here was that the character of Erik is simply less sympathetic than the script thinks he is. The plot is based on a real L.A. Times magazine article by JR Moehringer, and perhaps the real events provided part of this problem. The idea of a reporter not fact-checking something as major as if a person is who he says he is turns out to be flaw number one of the script.

The viewer will ask questions like, is this really believable? Furthermore, if this story is actually going to be the turning point Erik wants it to be, wouldn’t he be more vigilant about his research? It seems that the audience is supposed to believe the opposite – that Erik was so anxious to be a hero to his boy and get recognition at his job that he got careless.

As much as it stands out, this oversight doesn’t detract from the overall experience. Inherent in the story are themes of honesty and integrity alongside another major theme concerning fathers and sons. Case in point, Erik seeks input for his story from Satterfield’s son, and there is a sad backstory between Champ and his son. This story is juxtaposed with references to Erik’s legendary sportscaster father and his own relationship with his child.

However, all this is simply too much to cover and the script is unsuccessful at dramatizing it well enough. It should be said that I liked a few of the touches in the writing, like a quote by Herman Melville and how the Champ always refers to his feelings in percentage points, “I’m 60% today.” In the end, the numerous themes just get a bit heavy-handed.

The performances nearly save the film, fortunately for the filmmakers and audiences like. Josh Harnett is a subtle performer and that suits this character well, while Kathryn Morris (playing the wife) is a solid presence throughout a lot of scenes. Also starring is Alan Alda, who is always welcome, and the other supporting players, such as David Paymer, Peter Coyote and Teri Hatcher, do a good job. On the large scale, this is Samuel L. Jackson’s show, and he’s great here, creating a shuffling gait and changing his voice memorably to play a man in his 70’s. Some nice direction and good performances in Resurrecting the Champ still don’t improve the flawed story.

THE VIDEO

Resurrecting the Champ is presented in anamorphic widescreen. The transfer accurately replicates the theatrical experience as much as possible. The picture and color transfer is top-notch, however the desaturation of the color in the film itself might not be everyone’s preference.

THE AUDIO

Resurrecting the Champ is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround and it is a pretty good presentation. There are no other language tracks on the disc. Optional subtitles are available in English and Spanish.

THE EXTRAS

Audio Commentary: Director Rod Lurie provides a solo commentary and it is a surprisingly good one. The usual praise for his coworkers is here, particularly the actors like Alan Alda and Kathryn Morris, but most of all, Lurie addresses head on the criticisms most film reviewers had upon the film’s release. He forthrightly acknowledges scenes he would cut now, explaining they may be much too leading to the audience, and he also talks about the use of anamorphic widescreen and desaturated colors as they might have hurt the film.

Featurette: Shorter than most making-of docs, this is still made up of the usual interviews and clips. I like that the content here is different from what you’ll see in the interviews below. Most making-of docs can’t claim that. There could be a little more substance here, though.

Interviews: Director Lurie, all the major cast members, and the stunt coordinator are all included here. Each brief comment is specifically labeled on the menu for convenience and they are all worth watching once. My favorite parts are when Lurie discusses filming with actual homeless people and the stunt supervisor talking about how fast Jackson picked up boxing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Resurrecting the Champ is strained in its script, though the film also has many talented actors. The use of montages and black and white are nice bits of direction but the story is imperfect. The extra features are good and may prompt some to rent the film.