Eastwood is Eastwood

Rating: 7/10 (24 January 2009)

This movie is effectively sentimental and manipulative, technically fine, but to me requires the same benefit-of-the-doubt that is given to a lot of movies in traditional genres: "this isn't an 'ordinary' boxing movie; it's a movie ABOUT boxing movies." In this way, all the usual clichés can be excused (as in "Unforgiven"--not a gratuitously violent movie, but a rumination on the genre itself)--the Morgan Freeman character, the gruff Eastwood character, even the trailer-park family and their Simon Legree Lawyer ('if you don't gimme the deed to yo' ranch, I'm gonna tie ya to a railroad ...'). Almost painful to view was the boxing career of H.S.--the obligatory fighting all odds, a rise to the top, culminating in tragedy, and sure enough--I felt like I was watching a bad horror movie and had to close my eyes as the hideous monster was about to appear (all of this very well done, of course; if you make the initial decision to see an Eastwood movie, you're rarely disappointed). The last third maybe breaks the mold; not many main-line movies pose the question of euthanasia so starkly (although I suppose not many movies show the main boxing character dressed as an Indian in a wrestling ring either); but the first two-thirds of the thing are absolutely predictable, and justifiable not as 'in the genre, but a tribute to the genre' (I don't think Requiem for a Heavyweight or Raging Bull requires this, and Im just not in the mood to talk about 'Yo, Adrian!').