Clint does a wagner number

Rating: Null/10 (6 March 2005)

Clint Eastwood and Mary Shelley may not seem to have a lot in common, but both have a dab hand at Gothic Romance  dark stories of wish-fulfilment in which the central characters battle Fate, and lose, but do so heroically. Wagner wrote operas around such themes. Here, Clint has taken his text from the obscure "F X Tool", a former boxing trainer and "cut man", who published one well-received book of boxing short stories. "Rope Burns" when he was nearly seventy. Here, aging, never quite has-been Frank against his better judgment takes on enthusiastic woman boxer Maggie, who though past 30 is aching to succeed, despite being a self-admitted piece of trailer trash. Maggie of course is literally a knockout and goes from strength to strength  until she comes up against the Bear, the meanest female fighter in the world. And then we flip over into almost a different story about the testing of faith.
There is plenty of moody, gloomy photography and some fine boxing sequences (the Bear is played by a real women's boxing champion). Boxing is not my favourite sport but you do get to appreciate its attraction for those who are good at it. The lamentable thing is that so many derive real pleasure from watching. But as I said the movie is not really about boxing as about a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds, or the fates, if you will.
There are only three characters of any real consequence, Frank, Maggie and Frank's sidekick Eddie, who provides a mordant commentary on the story. Frank, as played by Clint is gnarled and tough, yet not quite tough enough. Guilt-ridden, he grieves for his estranged daughter and Maggie fills the gap. Hilary Swank as Maggie, despite the deprivation and loneliness, is all brighteyed ambition. We are never allowed to dwell on the improbability of such a character; instead we nod approvingly as she storms into Frank's twilight years, batters opponents senseless and gets into the ring for the big one. It's a remarkable performance and Hilary might as well have the Oscar, in a lean year. Morgan Freeman is very comfortable as Eddie the commentator in what is almost a repeat of his performance in "The Shawshank Redemption".
The trouble with Gothic Romance is that we know from the start that the protagonists are going to fail no matter how hard they try. Their failing is not a function of some fatal flaw in their make-up, but because the Universe is against them. Failure is thus reassuring. Clint however points out that this should not stop us from trying. Maggie at least gave it her best shot. For her, the ride was worth it. .