Resurrecting the Champ (2007)

Josh Hartnett: Erik Kernan Jr.

Photos 

Quotes 

• Erik Kernan Jr. : The Jermaine story I covered. It was a good fight.

  Ralph Metz : Yeah, I buried it.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : But why?

  Ralph Metz : Something's gotta be buried.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : That's what high school wrestling's for, right?

• Erik Kernan Jr. : Can I buy you a cup of coffee?

  Champ : No man, I don't drink coffee. Used to, but I gave it up.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : How about a cold beer?

  Champ : [pauses and smiles]  Well, I indulge in a beer every now and then.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : [Sees the youths beating up Champ]  Hey! What the hell!

  Youth : [Runs past him, laughing]  I just beat the Champ!

• Erik Kernan Jr. : I think you should get home.

  Champ : I am home.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : [Narrating]  A writer, like a boxer, must stand alone.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : You were almost champion of the world

  Champ : Ah, that was a long time ago.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : You fought LaMotta. You fought Patterson. You heard a whole stadium of people stand up and call out your name! You remember that?

  Champ : Sure, sure I remember that.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : [about Champ]  He's not a bum. He's homeless.

  Ralph Metz : [after a pause]  No, he's a bum.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : [has humiliated himself and his son]  I wish I was dead!

• [first lines] 

  Announcer : He lost to Harold Johnson and to Nino Valdez. That win to Valdez catapulted him into the national statistics spotlight also. Charles, 32 years old, Satterfield, 30. Here's round two. 189 for Charles, 180 for Satterfield. Charles is in the white trunks.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : [narrating]  A writer, like a boxer, must stand alone.

  Announcer : Satterfield has surprised all tonight with his right.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : Having your words published, like entering a ring, puts your talent on display. And there's nowhere to hide. The truth is revealed. And sometimes, the results can be disastrous.

  Announcer : And Satterfield is down! Three, four, five, six, seven... He's not gonna get up. Eight, nine... And it's all over. Wow! Ezzard Charles.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : You know what would be good for the story? If I could look at some of the stuff in your cart, see what you lug around every day. I think it'd be really interesting for the article.

  Champ : All right, we can do that... as soon as you take me to your house and let me go through all your personal stuff.

• Erik Kernan Jr. : I burned you, buddy. I'm sorry.

  Teddy Kernan : It's okay.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : Not about all this, but in general, are you pretty proud of me?

  Teddy Kernan : Real proud.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : And would you be proud of me, even if I didn't have, like, a lot of celebrity friends and stuff? Like, if I wasn't a big shot?

  Teddy Kernan : Well, not as much, but pretty close.

• [last lines] 

  Erik Kernan Jr. : The lies that come from love can devastate as much as those that come from malice. Champ's legacy, I suppose, is the inspiration for truth. And the beauty that can emerge from it.

  Teddy Kernan : [talking to his baby brother]  I'll tell you how to make real strong muscles. You get your thumb, you roll up your sleeves, and you blow.

  Erik Kernan Jr. : A beauty that lets our children admire us unconditionally. Love us unconditionally, as I love my son... mucho grande.