I finally saw this...

I really didn't like it that much. For all its pretensions and aspirations, it's simply just a clichéd boxing drama with a politically charged finale. And like most of Clint's films over the past decade, it's populated with stock stereotypes and ridiculous turns of events. As fully drawn as Clint and Swank and Freeman's characters are, we've got absolute caricatures like Swank's white-trash family or the dirty rotten boxer who paralyzes her. Speaking of which, the moment it happens? I'd seen the many spoofs of it from the past few years, but I never expected it to look so fake and overwrought. I know the movie was made on the cheap, but c'mon!

It's also amusing how generic and Oscar-baity the whole thing is designed to be. Morgan Freeman as the old wise man and narrator? Check. Hilary Swank playing masculine? Check. Clint Eastwood being gruff and mean until his heart is warmed? Check. A third-act twist which wrestles with Catholic themes and political issues? Check. Run-down settings and low-budget aesthetics? Check. Even the music is horribly obvious and clichéd.

Basically, it's Gran Torino with boxing and euthanasia. No thanks.

I loved this when I saw it. Bought the DVD in 2006. Have not seen it since. I recently re-watched Crash, which I loved at the time. I went from thinking it was an excellent film to thinking it's just a good movie. Not great, not Best Picture-worthy. Just good.

That's how I think I'll feel when I re-watch this. My taste in film changed a lot, and will continue to change, and I don't think it'll favor this or any of Clint's recent efforts.

My opinion remains unchanged.

Wrong link, Bradford.

Speaking of parodies, my favorite is It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's "Hundred Dollar Baby".

Oops - - thanx - - fixed.

So I rewatched this today.

I don't recall being so bored by a movie in a long time. Maybe it's one of those "Great on first viewing only" movies. I kept thinking to myself "It's all for nothing! A stool is going to do you in!"

The acting is what it is from Freeman and Swank. They save what is really a subpar flick. But those secondary characters... eek.

**1/2/****

Just watched this again. There's been a lot of cynicism about Eastwood since but this is a great film. All three main characters are deeply felt with the heartbreak and demons inside them even before the final act.

A lot of those are released around awards season.