If you take a look at the reviews collected rotten tomatoes For 2002’s “Grand Champion”, you’ll see a quote from Jeff Strickler’s Minneapolis Star Tribune review that reads, “This low-key family drama is so hokey that its title character’s name is hokey.” That title character is, in fact, a calf whose name is actually Hokey? Why? Well, that would require actually watching the film, which is nearly impossible unless you want to purchase this unfortunate family film on DVD. “Grand Champion” has essentially become lost media, but unlike many films only available on VHS that are worth watching, this one doesn’t look good at all.
Keeping in mind that we’re in the streaming age, where almost everything ever made is at our fingertips, this should give you some idea of just how hokey “Grand Champion” really is, given that it was sold out after its modest DVD release. Has not been made available from. It’s described on the Amazon product page as “a courageous young boy named Buddy and his award-winning calf, Hokie,” who climb the ranks of the Texas Stock Show and “eventually win the coveted title of Grand Champion,” “Grand “Champion” “Had it not been for the likes of Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts, it would have gone down in Hollywood history entirely.
Yes, “Grand Champion”, with its 20% critic score based on five reviews rotten tomatoesIt features appearances from two of the biggest stars of all time – and at the peak of their popularity. How? Why? Does this mean we’ll actually have to see a “Grand Champion”? Allow me to explain.
Who do Willis and Roberts actually play in Grand Champion?
Even a “Fresh” score for “Grand Champion” on Rotten Tomatoes comes from a review, summarized by the line, “Don’t make you wish you could get your money back.” Well, I think that’s something. Otherwise, not much information is available about this film. According to reviews, poor old Hokey in the story actually becomes the titular Grand Champion, only for Jacob Fisher’s Buddy to discover that it essentially means his beloved cow has been given a one-way ticket to the slaughterhouse. Sounds like some good old family fare, doesn’t it?
All of this only serves to make “Grand Champion” one of the more interesting forgotten movies, especially since it stars Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts. The real stars of this film are George Strait, Fisher, and Emma Roberts, the former of whom apparently became a very successful country music star. Meanwhile, Emma Roberts is still working today, and has built up quite a good filmography for herself, while Fisher stopped acting in 2007 (according to her). imdb Page). But there’s no doubt that “Grand Champion” isn’t any of these three individuals’ best moments, which further raises the question of how and why Willis and Julia Roberts are in it.
you can see two stars in it trailer As for the film, it appears that Roberts will be playing a friendly receptionist named Jolene – which, considering she’s Emma Roberts’ aunt, makes at least some sense. As for Willis, maybe he’s playing the bad guy? It’s not made very clear, but at one point Buddy says that Mr. Blandford is taking Buddy home, suggesting that Willis’ character wants to feed Hokey through a meat grinder. But by the end of the trailer, Willis is seen telling Buddy to take the dangerous cow home, so who knows.
Willis and Roberts were at the peak of their careers
While Julia Roberts has a small role in “The Grand Champion,” Bruce Willis at least has a somewhat significant role as the guy who takes over poor Hokey from Buddy – which makes you think the producers are right to remain. Will give his name on the poster. Instead, neither of these two stars’ names were revealed, which is probably for the best.
In 2002, Willis had not yet entered the phase of his career in which he faced mediocre action thriller after mediocre action thriller, and had recently starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s “Unbreakable”. Which was a superhero film much ahead of its time. Meanwhile, Roberts’ prior effort was 2001’s “Ocean’s Eleven.” Funnily enough, Willis regrets turning down the villain role in the same George Clooney-led film, which would have seen him and Roberts together in a movie that’s probably a little better than “The Grand Champion.” . Anyway, the point is that both Willis and Roberts were really at the top of their game in 2002, making their presence in this lost children movie even more obscure.
Two years after “Grand Champion”, the pair reunited in 2004’s “Ocean’s Twelve”, in which Willis appeared in a cameo role in a short scene in which Roberts also played Julia Roberts. That may sound confusing, but you can bet it was much better than the pair’s contribution to “Grand Champion,” though it’s probably unfair to make that judgment without seeing the film. Would I buy the DVD to learn the truth? No.
