This movie could have been spectacular!

Rating: 1/10 (3 February 2005)

I really don't think this critique is a spoiler, but rather a bitter disappointment. This movie had all the earmarks of being another Rocky or even BETTER. But, somewhere Clint lost his vision on this movie. This film started out as an insiders look into the goings on of professional boxing. It was really interesting to see the skill and technical aspects of boxing brought out by an interesting storyline of a young girl, who is literally fighting her way out of poverty and trying to make a place for herself. Hilary Swank was fantastic in this movie, though most of her lines were standard Hollywood fair...she did the best she could with the script presented her. Her physical prowess was and is unbelievable...she really is a knockout. Morgan Freeman turned in one of his finest performances to date. His repartees with Clint were special. His compassion for the plight of his fellow boxers was special. He is totally deserving of an Oscar nod for this performance. Clint Eastwood as actor/director turned in his now stock old tough guy performance...Gunny Hightower goes boxing...same gruff voice that is supposed to have one believe he is an old lion, still ready to bite. Though his ongoing debate with the local parish priest was humorous. I didn't see anything special from his performance and found the Hightower experience annoying. Clint as director...oh my god. Your filming a boxing movie, that is really interesting, informative and realistic. Your in the squared circle, describing to those who are unaware, the sweet science of boxing, the subtleties and the nuances of balance, grace, defense, footwork, training, the usage of speed bags, the heavy bag...etc..then you tell the story of a women in boxing, a true advent of the awakening of the woman as athlete, in sports that were deemed for men only, and you tell it well. But, the dreaded 'but' word, you take a carnival, cheesy Hollywood spin on the sport you are so compellingly telling. WHY? WHY? WHY? Instead of showing a championship fight where a fighter can and DO get hurt, unfortunately, you disgrace the sport with a comedic mockery that is something you might see from a Hollywood B minus movie. What a schlockfest. Then the hospital scenes should have been saved for 'Snow White Goes to the Snake Pit'. Have you know shame? The despicable scenes in the hospital are too felonious to mention. All I can say is for the traumatized paraplegics that fight for their breathes every single second of every day. Praying for a miracle and that modern science can one day help them. For them you should be ashamed of your ending. I was sickened by this cheap, lowbridge schlockfestival. If ever you could wish for a Hays Commission...or someone to put smelling salts under Eastwoods nose...this would have been it. I don't normally write bad reviews for a movie, but one piece of cow manure like this is hoisted up as some pretense to wave the Clint Eastwood flag...shame on you. For this film to be placed in contention for an Oscar is a disgrace to the Academy and the awards they represent.