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Resurrecting the Champ

Resurrecting the Champ

Drama · 2007

Up-and-coming sports reporter rescues a homeless man ("Champ") only to discover that he is, in fact, a boxing legend believed to have passed away. What begins as an opportunity to resurrect Champ's story and escape the shadow of his father's success becomes a personal journey as the ambitious reporter reexamines his own life and his relationship with his family.

Movie details

Resurrecting the Champ

“Based on a true story, that was based on a lie.”

2007 Drama 1h 52m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

Up-and-coming sports reporter rescues a homeless man ("Champ") only to discover that he is, in fact, a boxing legend believed to have passed away. What begins as an opportunity to resurrect Champ's story and escape the shadow of his father's success becomes a personal journey as the ambitious reporter reexamines his own life and his relationship with his family.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Resurrecting the Champ?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Rod Lurie

Written by

Michael Bortman · Allison Burnett

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Champ

Josh Hartnett

Josh Hartnett

Erik Kenman Jr.

Alan Alda

Alan Alda

Ralph Metz

Teri Hatcher

Teri Hatcher

Andrea Flak

Kathryn Morris

Kathryn Morris

Joyce Kernan

Dakota Goyo

Dakota Goyo

Teddy Kernan

Rachel Nichols

Rachel Nichols

Polly

Court is in session

Put Resurrecting the Champ on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.