Always appreciate the blessing in life

Rating: 9/10 (7 August 2005)

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Great acting, with a few of mini plots surrounding the main plot. The tail of a boxing trainer who through experiences in life does not like to take chances decides to take one more. The trainer has not had contact with his daughter in many years and his continued pursuit of contacting her is constantly rejected. The movie just gives us a small piece of why the trainer's does not have a relationship with his daughter, but this let's the viewer ponder one of the many reasons it happened. He takes his big chance on a girl...who he would not train because of her sex for months. I get the portrayal as this is the relationship with his daughter he never had. The girl's family is lazy, greedy, self-centered people whose only concern with the girl fighter is how much money can she give them. So two peas in a pod are matched with each being quite stubborn. Somehow the relationship blooms. The cautious trainer and fighter take a great ride to the title fight. The end is one of those life searching decisions most of hope never to have to make. Yet a decision the trainer has to make...life or death. I strongly caution parents this film is not for children 17 and under. It is loaded with profane language. I would have rated the film R instead of PG-13 and if not for my TVG devise I would not have let my 13 year old watch.