More like a thousand dollars, I'd say...

Rating: 8/10 (29 March 2005)

With the pedigree behind this project, and everyone's tendency to love an underdog, it couldn't lose. This should not blind people to one or two glaring flaws that slipped under the radar; all thanks to the public willingness to happily accept a 'pat' story that rings all of the old bells.
There were indeed a boatload of clichés that could almost be found in any number of daytime soap-operas; however, I did like the focus on Clint's character and his shaky confidence - since he's one of the only ones out there still doing 'hard-luck' stories about craggy old men, instead of plucky young dynamos! Put it this way; I can think of many more deserving recipients of Best Picture in the past that somehow missed out. Yet the Academy eats stuff like this up - triumph over adversity/finding redemption. It doesn't surprise me that this nabbed the top award of that year, despite my thinking it may not have been quite worthy...