I appreciated the story and its timeliness, but the amateurish acting by all cast members other than Eastwood only occasionally served the film's eagerly genuine tone. Compared with my follow-up viewing of HALF NELSON, this film felt too manufactured even for an Eastwood film.  I did, however, enjoy Eastwood's direct confrontation of his character's stubborn racism, and the play on his own mythos.

grumble