4/5 might test your patience, let's be honest
  by B. E Jackson (Pennsylvania)
I've seen many complaints from reviewers that Resurrecting the Champ is just a flat out boring film. I can see why so many people are coming to that conclusion.

The story isn't one of the best, that's for sure, and the film is certainly NOTHING like the classic Rocky films, so don't go assuming there will be a dramatic boxing match at the end of the movie that will satisfy your secret love for intense punching action, because it ain't gonna happen. Completely different movies.

What makes the storyline sort of boring is the fact that WAY too much of it focuses on the aimless walking and talking reporter aspect, and less on communicating with the boxer himself.

I don't know about you, but I would have been MUCH more satisfied had most of the movie been devoted to scenes showing Samuel L. Jackson's character, and less on the other guy who played the reporter role.

Resurrecting the Champ is about a news reporter looking for a big story to cover for the paper, and through a painfully slow and uninteresting build-up in character development and storyline, the reporter eventually finds a homeless man living on the streets that used to be a big-name boxer a long time ago... or at least, that's what it appears. Keep watching the film to see what's REALLY going on.

Why the movie doesn't stack up to the hype is because the story is just so sloooooow to not only get going, but to actually GET anywhere. The pace never picks up for its entire 2-hour running time, and despite a magnificent performance by Samuel L. Jackson, you have to be *very* patient to sit still and pay attention to a storyline that's honestly mediocre at best.

However, despite the problems, I can't deny I was sitting there and enjoying the film, and I really was curious to see the next plot development... for whatever reason. Maybe I was just in the mood to watch a movie this afternoon, who knows? Maybe I wanted to believe the hype?

I'll give the movie a 4 out of 5 rating, but you should know it's a weak 4, maybe even a high 3.

2/5 Not worth the time
  by Anonymous
I am very open minded and like almost every type of movie. My favorite genre is sports inspirational and/or true stories so I'm typically biased to like this style of movie even more.

The truth is that this one just didn't make the cut. I watched it on cable for free and still felt that it was a waste of my time.

3/5 What You See...
  by S. K. Harrell (NC)
Jackson's performance in this film was top notch, though the rest of it left something to be desired. With an interesting enough premise the plot became quickly predictable, which made Hartnett's character just seem a bit slow. I also kept waiting for some deeper insight into the politics of the sport in hopes of shedding light on why some of the Champ's decisions were made, to no avail. Interesting but not fantastic by a long shot.

1/5 Boring
  by Cullen C. Scott
Couldn't get into the movie at all. I wish I would have saved my money

3/5 Mediocre Feel Good Movie
  by L. A. Vitale
Mediocre journalist, Erik Kernan Jr. (played by Josh Hartnett), continually lives in the shadow of his famous journalist father and strives to become a great writer in his own right instead of always living in the shadow of his legendary father.

Erik Kernan Jr. believes he has found his "breakout story", which will set him apart from the pack of other journalist, making him a star reporter worthy of writing top news stories.... Erik Kernan Jr. has stumbled across a homeless man believed to be a famous boxer long considered to be dead.... After spending countless hours with the homeless man, Erik Kernan Jr. writes and sells his story before doing the all important fact checking. Unfortunately, it isn't until the story is published, that Erik Kernan Jr. learns the true identity of the homeless man and learns that "The Champ" really isn't who he really claims to be at all! With an impending lawsuit, Erik Kernan Jr. finds himself in a lot of hot water. In the midst of controversy, Erik Kernan Jr. seemingly finds the true meaning of life through self examination/evaluation and learns valuable life lessons through the process that change him forever.

The message of the movie is good. The storyline was a bit slow and predictable, but otherwise a good movie.