This was one of the most intense movie experiences I've had in quite a while. The last third is really heavy, but there's a lot of humor throughout the movie too to keep it entertaining. The acting is darn near impeccable, and although I have some minor quibbles about certain plot elements and one-dimensional secondary characters, this is a very very good film. Highly recommended.

Is it as melodramatic and depressing as Mystic River?

Most certainly!

just saw it this weekend. it was very well done. much better than i expected when seeing the previews.

I finally saw this movie today and I loved, loved, loved it. Brilliantly done. I thought that Clint, Morgan, and Hilary were amazing in it. Clint did an amazing job. Definitely one of the best of the year for me. In the top 3.

I didn't see the movie, but I read a spoiler. It sucked. Here's why.

I thought it was a some kind of feel good movie about some chick boxer. I didn't even want to see it. The I read the spoiler. I was disappointed because now I want to see it.

Us PJ fans like depressing things for some reason.

MDB was one of the most emotionally powerful movies I've seen in awhile. I had an argument the other day w/ someone who hasn't seen it and wasn't going to because it was just a "female Rocky." Needless to say, without giving away the story, I informed them they were dead-wrong...that it was a movie with real depth & emotion. Besides, boxing is just the backdrop for the story, anyway.

can someone PM me and give me a full description of this movie? "spoil" it for me if you will.....

DOUBLE POST

Terrific movie, but a real tough one to get through. Heavy stuff.

Clint Eastwood is a genius.

The commercials made it seem boring to me. I'm sure it's great though. But it's like enough with Hillary Swank in these gut-wrenching sad roles.

thank you for reading my mind

I think she's a great actress, but I'm sick of her. I would have liked to see Winslet win just because Sunshine was a somewhat original film. There was a smile in its sadness. Jim Carrey always gets robbed too. And Paul Giamatti.

Also sick of actors doing impressions. It seems a lot easier to me (and I could be wrong) for actors to embody the spirit of someone who has already been caught on film. I can do a pretty killer Katherine Hep if I do say so myself. Ray Charles not so much, but there is already footage of him. Just watch and learn your role. No trying to create a character's motivation or personality. My opinion of course.

I agree loreli.....im no actor, but as hard as it is its gotta be easier to learn to play the part of a real person than an original fictional character

I mean, Jaime Foxx was unreal in this role, but Ray Charles life is well documented and he just needed to mimick the man's speech and actions...

isn't it just a boxing movie? i am perplexed why there is all this hype to it, it doesn't look like anything special to me. then again there's probably more to it that i don't know but at this point i would have no desire to spend 9 dollars for it, oscars or not.

Ask someone who's seen it what happens and you'll know why it's not just a boxing flick.

I personally didn't like it. Then again, I don't like to walk out of movie theaters wanting to go samurai on my wrists.

There really wasn't that much boxing footage. I mean the last 1/3 of the movie had no boxing in it at all. The movie was more about the relationships between the characters than it was about boxing.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Im sorry, but from what I saw in the previews, I have no desire to see this movie. Which upsets me, because everyone tells me how great it is. The previews just bored the hell out of me, and usually if that happens, I dont see the movie. Hopefully someone will drag me to go see it.

yes, i have heard that the draw for the movie is low. but most of the people that i have seen it have liked it. plus it's eastwood, that was enough to draw me to it.