Clint Eastwood Shines, Hilary Swank Does Her Thing

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2010)

I'm not the biggest fan of this movie. It's like many other sports films: the underdog tries to make it big. But the beauty of this film is in Clint Eastwood. Like his later role in "Gran Torino", he plays an older man set in his ways and somewhat prejudiced who loosens up and becomes a hero of sorts. Morgan Freeman is also great, but when isn't he? Hilary Swank is not one of my favorite actresses, but she played this role well and I cannot see anyone else doing it. Someone mentioned that Sandra Bullock (for example) would have killed this role and therefore the movie. Absolutely right.
There was much to like in this one, like the featherweight who wanted to be the champion... but as well as it held my attention and was well-paced and acted, I wouldn't say it was a masterpiece. Clint Eastwood is a fine director, but for me he didn't get the power out of this one that he did with "Torino".