Wonderful Film

Rating: Null/10 (16 January 2005)

A brilliant, thoughtful film from Clint Eastwood. The 3 main performances are very realistic and excellent and the acting is deliberately and delightfully underplayed. The theme of a women boxer may seem trite to UK audiences but stick with it - it's worth it.
Eastwood has a role befitting his age and his trademark minimalist style. Freeman's acting , as a seen-it-all ex-pro boxer, is sublime. But it's Swank who catches the eye in a role that she was made for.
Its a typical Eastwood film - slowish with artful camera angles and empty spaces. The central setting is a run-down gym and this is beautifully realised. Also typically for Eastwood , the film has more plot than one would imagine from the first hour-or-so of set-up.