Moving drama, but isn't it really two movies

Rating: 8/10 (23 March 2005)

This movie is about a female boxer who, through dogged determination, becomes a fighter. She moves through the ranks quickly and... then the movie changes. The characters are unfolded slowly, and are left to develop at a snail's pace. This can be good or it can be bad, and it this movie it mostly works. This is an incredibly powerful movie, but I don't think it's as great as most people. Close, but a few flaws bugged me. First, it starts a bit on the slow side. I can live with that, though. Second, she would be declared champion if her opponent cheats like that. But third, my main complaint, is that the last part of the movie is too... distinct from the rest. It's a bit too radical of a departure from everything up to that. I know it's the same characters, and we needed the setup of the relationship between the characters to make the ending work, but it just felt, well, too jarring, I guess. I would not let that discourage anyone from seeing the movie, because it is so powerful. But it does keep me from ranking it as one of my all time great movies.