I think the story has the "appropriate" end

Rating: 8/10 (5 June 2005)

I think the story has the "appropriate" end. If would have been an happy-end I should have felt like cheated (happy endings are not so common as in movies) and we would have had another "american dream" story told by Eastwood himself (hopefully it wasn't). I do also see that the central issue of this story is about winning (or getting esteem or respect, fame, call it like you want) and is about the hated side of winning, meaning losing. Everybody expects you to win but can you afford to lose, especially when you are supposed to cry if you get hurt? And she turned out to be the toughest. The rest of the story is merely a pretext: boxing seems to be a pretty impressive (and accessible through fighter's "guts" mixed with inspired training) way to honestly get "people chanting" your name (a sort of fame); Dunn's daughter is the receiver for Scrap's all film's length read letter, she could possibly even not exist anymore, Dunn said she was "his family", someone whom he could care if left. Although there are a few other characters (Freeman has a fine performance), the story follows the two main characters in three places: gym, boxing ring and hospital (which makes it brilliantly simple). There was much ado about the father-daughter relation (something like need/offer of dearness, protection etc.). I don't think this prevailed a more fine relation as it is between honest fighters sympathy, loyalty and generosity. She had the kind of innocent dream plus passion that tempted him to be loyal to (once again); so he decided to play the role of the experienced guide and there were little risks because there were no so high stakes. She wanted so much to play for the highest stake and he couldn't refuse to (could be by vanity: it is the first time that is training a challenger; could be by pride: he cannot step back; could be by loyalty: he wanted to give back his best for her belief, she couldn't be wrong coming at him, could she ?). But all the decisions seem made by her and all the other are assisting doing their best sympathetically. Everybody knows the unwanted sides of competitions of that kind (the scene where she find that one of her's blitz won had a broken timpani). It's all decided there in the ring, you do not know the number of the fight that sends you out. She faces that with a great courage and consciousness (I think Swank's best performance was for this side of her acting). Actually she is continuing her fight in the hospital bed, and this time the stakes are too real: with her greedy family, with the coach and with the rules that kept her alive. It is impressive that she doesn't complain or ask compassion. A real classic hero. If there is an impression that the movie "is melodramatic", that could certainly not be imputed to Swank. Overall I consider Eastwood's and Freeman's characters well pounded. Their characters, although could have been more rough, more cynical, are in fact rather sensitive and kind, I hope not one of the last signs of human tenderness on screens. Clint Eastwood is a great director for this movie. The image and the setting are good and right.
This might be looked as well as another modern version of Icarus myth.