Kathryn Morris UK

Looking back it is surprising to find that I’ve never really posted about Resurrecting The Champ on KM UK before.  The Gallery has included screencaps, full HD screencaps from the trailer and stills from the word go, but nothing beyond that.

Well, we will correct that oversight right now with a description of the movie below, and brand new exclusive Full HD (1080p) screencaps, 295 316 in total, of Kathryn’s appearance in it and newly updated stills (including one huge HQ image) to be found in the Gallery.

Resurrecting The Champ tells the story of Erik Kernan Jr. (Josh Hartnett), a newspaper sports reporter.  He’s struggling to find his own voice and is suffering from a lack of confidence in his work.  Erik is married with a young child but he is separated from his wife and is not entirely truthful with his son: lying to him about meeting sports stars as a way to impress him.

Not helping Erik’s self-confidence is the fact that his wife, Joyce, is a successful, award winning journalist who works for the same paper.  And this is where Kathryn comes into the picture as she plays Joyce, which, coincidentally, is Kathryn’s mother’s name.

Joyce and Erik are clearly still on good terms, though the distance is quite obvious.  Erik resents his wife’s success and feels his own manhood is undermined.  He wants back into the family, to be a husband and father again.  Joyce is one of the few people that can make Erik consider his actions and encourage him to do the right thing.  She wants Erik to be able to feel proud of himself, thereby allowing her and their son to be proud of him.

Erik stumbles across a man living on the street who claims to be a once famous boxer going by the name of Champ (Samuel L. Jackson).  This rags to riches to (actual) rags story is just what Erik needs.  He could really make a name for himself, possibly win an award or two, if he does a good job.  Erik spends a lot of time with the gravelly voiced Champ, trying to help him clean up his life and reconnect with family.  Unfortunately things don’t quite go to plan.

Kathryn’s role is relatively small, she appears at various points in the film from the very beginning to the very end, but the character is significant to the story.  We first see Kathryn in an editors meeting, chaired by the director of the movie Rod Lurie in a brief cameo, setting her up as quite important at the newspaper.  Soon after she is in her office talking to Erik, in a scene that shows their relationship, or lack of.  Erik manages to talk his way in to an evening with Joyce and their son next, he clearly wants to be back home (who can blame him 😉 ).  His attempt to kiss his wife goodbye does not go down well though.

Later Joyce shows her son Erik’s article in the paper, but has to lay down the law when Erik confesses.  Letting her hair down with the kids (her son and his friends) next as they stay up to watch Erik doing his first TV presenting job.  And then we come to what I can only describe as one of Kathryn’s best scenes ever (see headlining image).  Kathryn looks truly stunning with her hair down, standing in the garden in the twilight in her night dress.  A great bit of acting too as Joyce and Erik discuss things.  After Erik gets hurt in a brawl Joyce has to set him straight again in hospital.  Which leaves us with a quick funeral scene and to bed.

It’s a bumpy ride for Erik, he has to learn a few life lessons, but things end very well for him, for Joyce, and us  😉

Alongside Samuel, Josh and Kathryn the movie has an impressive cast: Alan Alda (MASH), Rachel Nichols (GI Joe: Rise Of The Cobra) and Desperate Housewives‘s Teri Hatcher are amongst the stars make small appearances.

Update: Oops!  It looks like I managed to miss out a whole scene from the screencaps, the one where Kathryn is wearing the green jacket, as in the still below.  I’ve added them into the sequence in the correct place and re-numbered accordingly.  Sorry.