by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
B+ Rated PG-13 111 min
The raspy voice of a down-and-out boxer, Champ (Samuel L. Jackson), sets the dark mood of this Rod Laurie film. Josh Hartnett portrays the ambitious journalist, Erik, who is working as a sports reporter for a major daily. His editor (Alan Alda) thinks his work is mediocre and knows he can do better. Erik feels that his editor is requiring too many pieces from him, forcing him to crank them out without careful consideration. Erik is looking for a big story with which he can take his time and make a name for himself.
This golden opportunity happens one night when Erik comes out of a boxing match to witness young punks beating up an old homeless man, who turns out to be Champ. He breaks up the fight and talks to the old man who tells Erik he used to be a big time boxer. Intrigued, Erik seizes the moment and starts to research the old man’s story. Clearly, this could be his big break. So instead of going to his immediate boss, he approaches the editor of the Sunday magazine section about doing this documentary piece on the Champ.
Estranged from his wife Joyce (Kathryn Morris) who works at the same daily, Erik desperately wants to mend fences with her so he can see his son every day. This subplot was never fully developed. Viewers never find out why Joyce and Erik have separated. Consequently, it weakens the importance of the relationship between the two characters. Nonetheless, Erik throws himself into researching the Champ. He finds out that everyone thinks he’s dead. As Erik spends more time with the Champ, he forges a bond with the old man.
After gathering all the information on the ex-boxer, Erik writes his story with a photo of the champ on the cover of the Sunday magazine. Suddenly, Erik is deluged with offers from other media, including Showtime, to create a two-hour movie on his story. At home, his son is bursting with pride and his wife sees him differently. Erik is on his way to fame and glory
At this point in the story, there is a Big Twist that changes everything for Erik. The lessons he learns from this shock changes his life and ultimately brings him closer to his family. Like all life journeys, Erik must face a traumatic event and somehow learn from it.
Rod Laurie’s gritty mosaic and unpretentious orchestration of the scenes help to drive home the emotional impact of the story. Erik is a man who means well and loves his son and wife. This story could mean a chance to break out of the rat race of daily sports reporting. Samuel L. Jackson’s characterization of the Champ is memorable. He wears the scars of his past and the grudging grind of living on the streets. Erik becomes his only friend and their meeting becomes his salvation as he spins the stories of his boxing career.
Kathryn Morris took a sabbatical from her Cold Case character to deftly portray Erik’s wife Joyce. The reason for Joyce’s alienation from Erik can best be explained by a line from the script. The Champ put it succinctly, “Men never know what they did to piss off their wife, and she will never tell them! So it is a stalemate.” Yes, but at this stage, they are not seeing other people, so there is hope that they will get back together before the separation becomes permanent.
Based on a true story, Michael Boatman’s masterfully written screenplay and the stellar acting by the cast make this a memorable movie about how to overcome disastrous situations by honesty and contrition. Overcoming life’s traumas is the ultimate lesson of this story. You can run but you can’t hide from yourself.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
