Resurrecting the Champ B+
Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Hartnett
Rated PG-13 for some violence and brief language
Directed by Rod Lurie (The Contender)
Appropriate for ages 13+
The Summary: A struggling journalist (Hartnett) discovers a former boxing champ (Jackson) living on the streets of Denver. In his journey to discover the truth about the boxer, he is better able to reflect upon his own life.
The Good: Let’s face it, Jackson is an amazing actor, and this movie really showcases his talents. His turn as the champ is his best performance in years and although Hartnett does a fine job, Jackson steals every scene he is in. I was also impressed with the fine script filled many sincere and self-reflective moments.
The Bad: While this is a solid piece of entertainment, it’s not too terribly flashy and many will find it a little too slow for their tastes. Also, I don’t think that the movie packs the emotional punch (bad pun – ouch!) that it intends. I found myself touched, but not at all teary-eyed.
This could have been a great little family film, were it not for an F bomb and other assorted bad language. I think that the film could have been more successful without the language, but the filmmakers probably spiced it up in order to achieve PG-13 status.
The Summary: Jackson gives a knockout performance in this low-budget crowd pleaser.