Good Movie Till Horrible Cliché Ending

Rating: 6/10 (11 April 2009)

I picked up this movie a few years back, but something held me back from watching it. A bad feeling, a warning, a prickling of the scalp .. not sure, but I waited almost 4 years before I finally took the plastic off the DVD ... and now I wish it was still sitting on the shelf.
Don't get me wrong, this movie had me for the first three quarters. There was a great chemistry built up between Eastwood and Swank, and Freeman gave the observers eye to the whole drama. How often do we see a movie about women's boxing? About a woman's dream of being world boxing champion? That in and of itself is a good subject for a movie, and throw in the interpersonal dramas of Eastwood's character interacting with the driven character of Hilary Swank and there were many good screen moments.
Then we have the title fight. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind a sad ending to a movie if its the logical conclusion of where the movie has been leading. But this movie went totally off the rails into la-la land sentimentality! The last half hour of this movie I could barely watch, knowing where it was going and powerless to stop it. Like watching that train wreck from a distance ... helpless, hating what you are seeing, but unable to tear your eyes away.
I would give the first 3/4's of this movie a strong 8/10 ... but the last half hour or so (everything post-title fight) a dismal 4/10.
What great potential this movie had to be a classic. Instead, it will be the award winning movie that everyone forgets.