"Resurrecting the Champ" has all of the earmarks of a feel-good movie. Josh Hartnett plays Erik Kernan Jr., a struggling young sports reporter who can't seem to get any of his stories into the paper. He happens upon a homeless man called "Champ" (Samuel L. Jackson), asks why he is called that and he is told that "Champ" was once a boxing legend who has fallen on hard times. Kernan realizes that this is his big break and if he could write a feature story on "Champ", it could help both of them. As they spend time together, they become friends. All is sailing along smoothly and then, the story is published to great accolades. It is then that it all begins to fall apart. The story, you see, is not true. Sure, "Champ" was a boxer, but not the one he claimed to be and really was not much of a boxer at all. The film deals with the fallout of this mess as Kernan struggles with the mistake he made and tries to find a way to make it all right. It is an entertaining movie with good performances. Jackson, in particular, looks to showcase the fact that he can do much more than his tough guy persona. It is also interesting to watch the rise and fall of a journalist who forgets the most basic rule of journalism: fact checking. I enjoyed the movie, but didn't love it. It was really just north of mediocre, with Samuel L. Jackson being the biggest factor in rising above that. Josh Hartnett was also very good, trying to become a hero again in his son's eyes.Grade: C
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