disappointing

Rating: Null/10 (7 March 2005)

I'm obviously in the minority on this, but I thought this film was a big disappointment. It was full of clichés and offensive stereotypes, and was quite formulaic. How many times do we have to see black men cast as wizened old figures who help white male central characters work through some kind of a personal crisis before we get offended? And in this case the character is a JANITOR, no less, who just seems to float around strategically, pushing a mop or cleaning a toilet, so he can interject some pear of wisdom at exactly the needed moment!! And what about the stereotyping of Hilary Swank's poor rural white family as stupid, lazy, welfare-cheating hillbillies (her character's term!)? The parallel father-daughter story lines (one real, one displaced) were about as subtle as a brick. I saw the narration as letter to the estranged daughter coming a mile away. Finally, I kept wondering why, with all the money Hilary Swank's character was apparently making herself and Clint Eastwood's character, no one's life seemed to be much changed. The gym remained a dump and nobody as much as bought a new shirt, blouse, or pair of pants (much less a car or anything). The only expenditure that was discussed was that of a house for someone else. Oh yes, and nobody seemed to have a sex life, either. These were cardboard cutout characters, for the most part. Only the good acting saved this movie from its very mediocre script.