This is Eastwood's masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10 (17 April 2016)

Clint Eastwood's beautiful film tells the simple story of Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) and Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman), two old friends who run a boxing gym together, and the impact that Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) has on both their lives. Eastwood allows his characters centre stage, trusting in a marvellous script by Paul Haggis (based on stories by FX Toole) and the tremendous work of his players. The result is a wonderfully unfussy and affecting tale of people who feel as real as you or I, each line and expression ringing as true as anything we have seen on film.
Eastwood and Freeman use every single line to wonderful and curmudgeonly effect, portraying a deep friendship borne out of shared experiences and disappointments. Maggie is set on Frankie being her trainer and manager but he resists, unwilling to train a girl. Eddie sees something in Maggie, and encourages Frankie to train her. Slowly, Maggie's determination wins an unwilling Frankie over. Watching their friendship take root and blossom draws us deeper into the story, with the malcontented Frankie slowly warming to his new, if unwanted, charge. These three characters are the heart of the movie, and it's a film with a seriously huge heart.
Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman won Oscars for their roles, and Eastwood won an Oscar for his direction, with the film winning Best Picture. However, Eastwood the actor has never been better. All three give beautifully pitched performances, and Eastwood the director captures them perfectly.
There's fine support work too from Jay Baruchel as Danger Barch, who dreams of being a world champion and Margo Martindale as Maggie's mother.
It's a story to make you laugh, it's a story to make you cheer, and it's a story to make you cry. This is Eastwood's masterpiece and one of my favourite films of all time. It's emotionally challenging, but I urge you to watch it.