The Champ

PG

Released Mar 20, 1979

2h 2m

Drama

List

40%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Billy (Jon Voight) used to be a great boxer, but he's settled into a hardscrabble life that revolves around drinking, training horses, and the one bright spot in his existence -- his young son, T.J. (Ricky Schroder). Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie (Faye Dunaway), left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to T.J., Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success.

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jacob b

I'm not going to go around saying that this is the best movie ever or anything (guys, I've seen 12 Years a Slave and that film's definitely a major tearjerker) and, remake or not, the boxing angle feels to me like MGM is cashing in on Rocky's massive success but overall, I do think The Champ is an effective drama. The performances are top-notch, the dynamic between father and son is compelling and of course, it's really sad. It's not a neverending parade of misery but the sad scenes really stick, even before the ending. Mostly scenes relating to Faye Dunaway as the mother whom Jon Voight has told his son was dead (it was a very bitter divorce). The scene where the dad was in jail and reluctantly broke his son's heart was the most memorable moment for me. Is The Champ strictly required viewing for boxing fans? Probably not. Boxing doesn't factor into the story until the third act. But if you feel like watching something a bit more on the angst side without being too bleak, The Champ seems like a good choice to me...and certain audiences also get a chance to see late 30's Jon Voight shirtless so you can maybe see where his daughter Angelina Jolie gets her good looks from ;) (it actually says something about the direction and acting that the scenes don't lose their dramatic edge during these moments that would be perceived as gratuitous).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

steve b

To those, both critics and "civilians", who rated the movie poorly: It's no sin for a movie to be a tearjerker, and it's no shame to cry watching this one. Heck, if you don't, you have no heart. To those who haven't seen it: do, absolutely. The plot is perfectly plausible; I disagree the director goes out of his way to entice tears from the audience. Every scene has its purpose (and is not there just to make you tear up). Acting ranges from great (Dunaway and most of the cast) to brilliant (Voight) to out of this world (the kid). Again, do not miss this one. It will make you sad for a moment, but also richer for a profound experience and grateful for the things we usually take for granted

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Absolute tear jerker. But brilliant movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wildly overdramatic, with endless reasons given just to make poor Ricky Schroeder cry endlessly. Almost seems like child abuse putting a child through all of that. Director Franco Zeffirelli has always been more overt in his directing. And that works fine for dramatic Shakespearean works like "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet." But it just goes over the top here when endless downfalls keep being forced on the characters and the audience. Faye Dunaway seems to have taken the role mainly for all the fancy outfits. Future nut job Jon Voight is way too intelligent, as critics have sighted, to play the "dumb mug" of the title. You just never believe it.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

delysid d

for me, this is like being tortured

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/17/21

Full Review

steve d

Kind of childish and not entertaining.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Franco Zeffirelli

Director

Jon Voight

Billy

Faye Dunaway

Annie

Ricky Schroder

T.J.

Jack Warden

Jackie

Arthur Hill

Mike

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

The entire production is first-class, reminiscent of MGM in its heyday.

Nov 8, 2021

Full Review

Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Rated: C

Aug 24, 2007

Full Review

Michael Booth

Denver Post

A three-alarm, three-hanky movie of the highest order, perfect for your kids who don't get to see many truly sad films.

Apr 1, 2007

Full Review

Tom Cassidy

Common Sense Media

This 1979 drama has moments of excitement to keep it interesting and heaps of real emotion, making it a compelling drama. But while you shouldn't expect to maintain dry eyes, The Champ is much more than a misery parade.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 13, 2022

Full Review

Stephen Farber

New West/California

This film has only two moods: the mawkish and the maudlin.

Nov 3, 2021

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an often egregiously deliberate drama that rarely (if ever) wholeheartedly grabs the viewer's interest and attention...

Rated: 2/4

Jan 22, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Billy (Jon Voight) used to be a great boxer, but he's settled into a hardscrabble life that revolves around drinking, training horses, and the one bright spot in his existence -- his young son, T.J. (Ricky Schroder). Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie (Faye Dunaway), left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to T.J., Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success.

Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Screenwriter: Walter Newman
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Runtime: 2h 2m

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