I have to admit, I saw those
ads and trailers with Samuel L. Jackson talking like a crazy crack head
and
started to think Resurrecting
The Champ could be Razzie-tastic, but I was so
wrong.
Josh Harnett stars as Erik
Kernan, Jr. – a low level writer at The Denver
Post trying to make a name for
himself and snare a more high profile beat.
He’s not happy with his boss’s,
Metz (Alan Alda), attempts to bring the
best out in him, and starts to focus on
trying to get a job writing for the
newspaper’s weekly magazine, but
needs a splashy, attention getting story to impress the future boss. Erik finds
one in The Champ (Samuel L. Jackson) – a
former heavyweight contender named who is living on the streets.
Will this be the story that
changes Erik’s career?
Director Rod Lurie delivers
a compelling story dramatic when it needs to be, touching in the right
places
and full of strong acting performances (even the guy with that crazy
voice). He fills
the movie with
understated drama that hits you before you realize what is happening,
and finds
some splashy ways to tell the story through flashbacks to The
Champ’s best days
as he tells larger than life tales.
In the movie’s most
welcome
turn of events, Harnett puts on one of his best performances ever. It’s a nice,
natural approach to the
character where he is never overdoing any moment in the movie, but is
always
interesting to watch, and brings some sympathy to a character who
shouldn’t be
so likable. Of all
of the actors in
Resurrecting
The Champ, and there are some good ones, he is the
thespian who
seems most at home and comfortable of all.
Jackson is almost too comedic at times,
but you could see
people acting as crazy as him on any street in any major city in America,
so
he’s not that far from reality with this portrayal. Plus, it works most of the
time, especially as we get to know The Champ. Jackson
does a wonderful
job showing us the pain and longing this poor soul feels about his
past,
mistakes he made, and glory that disappeared too quickly. The two leads share some
wonderful tender
moments, especially when The Champ watches his own fight on TV, or when
they
come to terms with the movie’s big climax.
Writers Allison Burnett and
Michael
Bortman provide some fun dialogue, but keep the movie very realistic
and appropriate. Resurrecting
The Champ is about 15 – 20
minutes too long, and Jackson has one too many scenes, but
it’s a fine film
overall.
3 Waffles
(Out of 4)
Resurrecting
The Champ is
rated PG-13 for some violence and brief language.
Copyright
2007 - WaffleMovies.com
