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(About Our Ads) "RESURRECTING THE CHAMP" (2007) (Josh Hartnett, Samuel L. Jackson) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Mild Extreme Mild None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild Moderate Heavy Heavy Moderate QUICK TAKE: Drama: While dealing with his own personal and professional issues, a sportswriter tries to get his big break by writing a story about a homeless man who claims he was once a nationally ranked boxing contender. PLOT: Erik (JOSH HARTNETT) is a sportswriter for the Denver Times, but he's frustrated that his boss, Metz (ALAN ALDA), isn't impressed by his writing, especially considering that Erik's recently deceased dad was a famous sports announcer. It doesn't help that he's separated from his wife, Joyce (KATHRYN MORRIS), who also works at the paper, or that he worries about losing touch with their young son, Teddy (DAKOTA GOYO). Accordingly, Erik tells Teddy all sorts of lies about what famous people he knows, all in hopes of impressing the boy. The lying doesn't stop with him, however, as Erik meets with magazine publisher Whitley (DAVID PAYMER), telling him he has a story about former boxer Battling Bob Satterfield, who's now a homeless man living on the streets, being picked on my bullies, and going by the name of Champ (SAMUEL L. JACKSON). The problem is, he only just happened across the boxer who's reluctant to cooperate with any such story. Accordingly, and with the help of paper researcher Polly (RACHEL NICHOLS), Erik starts digging into Champ's past, hoping that such knowledge will help build confidence with him. But as Erik's story soon draws the attention of TV executive Flak (TERI HATCHER) who wants him as an onscreen personality for televised bouts, the writer must contend with the repercussions of his and others' lies that threaten to undermine everything he's trying to accomplish. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of anyone in the cast and/or boxing movies, they just might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For some violence and brief language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JOSH HARTNETT plays a sportswriter who's not only frustrated professionally in what he sees is a dead-end job, but also personally, thanks to a failing marriage and the potential of losing touch with his young son. Thus, he thinks he's found his big break when he comes across Champ and his story, but his chronic lying ends up being his undoing. He uses profanity and drinks some. SAMUEL L. JACKSON plays a former boxer turned homeless man who smokes, drinks, cusses, and allows Erik to write a story about him, regardless of the truth. KATHRYN MORRIS plays Erik's wife and coworker from whom he's separated. DAKOTA GOYO plays Erik's young son who believes everything his father has told him. TERI HATCHER plays a TV executive who wants to hire Erik as an onscreen personality for TV bouts. She smokes, drinks, and uses some profanity. ALAN ALDA plays Erik's boss at the paper who expects more from his writing and is disappointed that he doesn't deliver. He uses some profanity. RACHEL NICHOLS plays an employee at the paper who assists Erik with his story. DAVID PAYMER plays a publisher who wants Erik's story about Champ for his magazine. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. There's brief innuendo, some cleavage, a boxing round girl in a bikini, and some shirtless male boxers. Violence consists of in the ring boxing blows, as well as some fighting on the streets. Some of that has bloody results, and those sensitive to such material (and an older man having a heart attack) might be unsettled by that. Various bad attitudes are present (including punks beating up an older man, and lies being told), while characters drink and/or smoke. Finally, tense family material includes a separated couple, talk of familial deaths, and such. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from camera flashes. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, several scenes contain varying amounts of camera movement (sometimes a lot). ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Some punks drink. After Joyce asks what he thinks is a silly question, Erik jokingly asks her what she's on (a drug reference, but not meant seriously). Joyce and Erik have wine with dinner. Erik offers Champ some coffee, and he declines, but he takes him up on his offer for some beer. We then see Champ drinking from a brown paper bag. A miscellaneous man drinks a beer, and when Champ asks if he can have some, the man just gives the bottle to him. Erik walks along carrying a 6-pack of beer, and we later see him and Champ drinking (with the latter doing most of that in a park). After some punks have presumably beaten Champ again, Erik finds him, sees his condition, and asks if he needs a drink (Champ agrees to that). Erik and Polly have beer. Erik drinks from a bottle while walking, while Champ also carries a bottle. Flak has a drink and Erik orders a scotch on the rocks. Later, she asks if he wants to have a drink back at her place, but he declines the offer. Erik has a drink and then orders another. Erik carries some beer while waiting for Champ. BLOOD/GORE We see present day boxing, with one boxer being knocked to the canvas and a little blood landing on Erik's notepad. We hear the sound of Champ urinating (his back is to the camera). We see a flashback to some boxing sparring where there's some blood from one boxer's nose (and the Champ says that other boxer's nose bled in every fight after that). Champ shows a large and bad-looking scar on his lower back (that he says his father did to him when Champ was 9). Champ has a little blood around his eyes in a boxing flashback. Erik has a black eye after being punched. Erik has a little dried blood on his shirt collar. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Some punks want to pick a fight with Champ to prove their worth in their own and each other's eyes. He doesn't want to fight them, but one sucker punches him from behind. He manages to punch one, but others then hold him back so that the main punk can punch him back. Erik lies to most everyone in the film, from his son (about the famous people he says he knows) to his boss, Whitley and Champ. Metz tells Erik, "Don't get like a chick on me, be a man," with Erik later repeating the same back to him. Erik needs to pitch a story idea to Whitley, so he lies about currently working on one about Champ. Erik lies to Champ about the potential of being fired if he can't get this story. There's brief talk that some punks beat up Champ again. We hear that Champ fought under another boxer's identity back in the 1950s when paid to do so (and did that in small markets where no one knew the difference). A punk punches Champ several times, with Champ then hitting that man several times, eventually knocking him out. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Spoiler Alert: After getting into a street fight with a younger punk, an older man appears to have a heart attack. He collapses and apparently dies (as we see a subsequent funeral scene). GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck you," "I'd kick the sh*t out of you," "Now I know you're full of sh*t," "They'll sh*t themselves," "Bullsh*t," "Beat to sh*t," "No sh*t," "Entertain the sh*t out of..." "What the hell /is your problem?" "Don't get like a chick on me, be a man," "I suck," "A big ol' spaz," "Piss me off," "Damn near out," "Ass-whooping," "Tough as hell," "It's gonna blow your mind," "Kicked your ass out," "Fan-damn-tastic," "Pissed," "Is a putz," "Proud as hell," "Kicked ass," "We've come to sue your ass right off its hinges," "A damn shame," "Loser," "I know I screwed up" and "A monumental screw-up." Erik lies to most everyone in the film, from his son (about the famous people he says he knows) to his boss, Whitley and Champ. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 10 "s" words, 10 asses (1 used with "hole"), 5 hells, 4 damns, 1 crap, 1 S.O.B., 4 uses of "Jesus Christ" and "Oh God" and 1 use each of "G-damn" and "Honest to God." SEX/NUDITY Various male boxers are seen shirtless in the ring in several scenes. Joyce shows varying amounts of cleavage in several scenes. We see a boxing round girl (the one who carries the sign showing the upcoming round number) clad in just a small bikini (but nothing explicit is seen). Flak shows some cleavage in several scenes. Talking about Erik's performance on TV interviewing a boxer and wanting him to continue on with her network, but adding some innuendo, Flak comments on turning that one-night stand into a torrid love affair. We see Erik shirtless. We see Erik behind Joyce in bed, lying down. She's in a negligee (that shows some cleavage) and he's shirtless, but nothing sexual occurs. SMOKING Champ smokes at least 6 times, Flak smokes once, and a few miscellaneous characters also smoke (one with a cigar -- lit and unlit). TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Joyce and Erik are separated, and see that this pains him a great deal, especially in regard to their young son (who Erik says has been cleaved from him). There's brief mention that Erik's dad recently died of throat cancer. Champ shows a large and bad-looking scar on his lower back (that he says his father did to him when Champ was 9). Champ comments on having had two wives, and being estranged from the latest one. He also says he has a son who says he (Champ) is dead. We hear that Champ's son joined a gang in the past and was then killed. Erik says his dad left him when Erik was just a kid, adding that he never called or wrote, and that he hates him for that. Teddy is upset by other kids calling Erik a liar (for the stories Teddy has repeated). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Lying and the repercussions of that, especially concerning children. Boxing. What happens to athletes once they stop participating in their chosen sport. Sports journalism. The notion that if you profit by a liar, then you too are a liar. We hear that Joyce and Erik are separated, and see that this pains him a great deal, especially in regard to their young son (who Erik says has been cleaved from him). Flak's comment that there's no such thing as journalism anymore as it's been replaced by entertainment, adding that the thing people don't want is the truth. We hear that Champ's son joined a gang in the past and was then killed. VIOLENCE We see archival boxing footage, showing various blows delivered. We see present-day boxing, with one boxer being knocked to the canvas and a little blood landing on Erik's notepad. Some punks want to pick a fight with Champ to prove their worth in their own and each other's eyes. He doesn't want to fight them, but one sucker punches him from behind. He manages to punch one, but others then hold him back so that the main punk can punch him back. We see a flashback to some boxing sparring where there's some blood from one boxer's nose (and the Champ says that other boxer's nose bled in every fight after that). We see a montage of boxing footage, with standard punches thrown and delivered. There's brief talk that some punks beat up Champ again. Upset that Champ lied to him and possibly ruined his career, Erik pushes Champ and tries to hit him, but Champ avoids that and hits Erik twice, knocking him out (later leaving Erik with a black eye). A punk punches Champ several times, with Champ then hitting that man several times, eventually knocking him out. Spoiler Alert: After getting into a street fight with a younger punk, an older man appears to have a heart attack. He collapses and apparently dies (as we see a subsequent funeral scene). Reviewed July 9, 2007 / Posted August 24, 2007