These scenes would also be interesting to watch a second time, because two-thirds of the way through the film, there's a big reversal that all the ads and other reviews are pretty much giving away freely. On the off chance that you're planning on seeing this and you don't know what happens, I won't reveal it. Suffice to say that the film takes an abrupt turn that veers into the whole aforementioned question of journalistic responsibility, which ultimately gives way to the final theme of the relationship between fathers and sons, as Erik is forced to come to terms with living under the shadow of his famous father, as well as his own duty as a father. In most movies, the protagonist's arc seems disingenuous because the protagonist himself is already a perfectly likable character. By making Erik have real flaws, his journey becomes uncommonly credible.

The film isn't perfect and takes some odd detours, most notably the introduction of Teri Hatcher as a gushy suit from Showtime trying to court Erik as an on-air boxing reporter. (She does have a great line, though, which I'm paraphrasing, explaining that the job only requires you to be "very good-looking for the women, and just barely credible enough so that their husbands won't resent you for it.") But all of its multiple themes and plot strands land with an ending that feels both earned and resolved. It's worth stressing again that the best thing about Resurrecting the Champ is that every character, despite all the big ideas at work, actually seems to be a real person inhabiting the real world.

Movie Grade: A-

Synopsis:

Living on the streets of Denver, pushing a shopping cart piled high with all his worldly possessions, the man everyone calls "The Champ" (Samuel L. Jackson) knows he was not the greatest boxer to ever step in the ring, but at least he had a shot at it. After years of succumbing to fighters who ultimately found his glass jaw more often than he landed a winning punch, the Champ went from up-and-coming to mere has-been, with no heavyweight championship under his belt. Now the man who once went by the legendary title of "Battling Bob Satterfield" fights no one but cops and street thugs. Living in the shadow of his former self, this champ is down and halfway out.

Denver Times sports reporter Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) knows the feeling. He's been living in the shadow of his famous father Erik the "Wow" man Kernan ever since he too decided to be a journalist. Listening to tapes of his old man's lively radio broadcasts -- Erik is aware that he has some big journalistic shoes to fill. Assigned to cover all the bush-league sporting events, he wants a shot and the big time, but his hard-driving editor Metz (Alan Alda) is quick to tell Erik he's just not cutting ...