Pros: A solid plot with good performances make this film worth your while as Maggie (Hilary Swank) longs to be a fighter, something far more than the white-trash waitress she is and eventually she wears down veteran but timid trainer, Frank Dunn (Clint Eastwood, complete with a grizzled voice) into training her and she does well, very well, though hardly anyone cares, certainly not her overweight, welfare-loving mother (Margo Martindale). With a solid narration by Scrap (Morgan Freeman), this film is not just about a woman boxer beating the odds, it also details Frankie's difficult decision to end Maggie's life after her career-ending injury, leaving her at the mercy of a ventilator, completely paralyzed, thanks to that darn stool. And it doesn't shy away from that controversial issue.
Cons: The subplot of all the other guys in the gym (including Danger {Jay Baruchel} who has an intellectual disability) is painfully underdeveloped, though the film's biggest sin is you never learn the actual outcome of the fight and if the opponent, Billie (Lucia Rijker) is punished or even feels any guilt over what happened with Maggie. You also never learn how much money Maggie earns from her fights. You also never learn what happened between Frankie and his daughter.
Recommend: Probably
Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Maggie's family really show their true colors after her injury; how money-hungry they really are.
-There are some other solid supporting performances from Anthony Mackie, Mike Coulter and Michael Pena.
-Both Swank and Freeman would win Oscars for this film and both deliver natural, solid performances.
-By the end of the film, despite all his reluctance, Frankie views Maggie as his surrogate daughter.
-I'm glad that Maggie never gets a love interest throughout this entire film, it's a refreshing change of pace.
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