Excellent point.
There is something demented in Hollywierd that they would set up an audience for an uplifting film about a boxer and then pull the plug on the audience's emotions.
The last few films by Eastwood have a depressing theme. Good characterizations - Mystic River, The Bridges of Madison County, Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, etc. - but their endings leave you on the "down" side (at the very least). And this film is NOT about a gutsy boxer so much as a statement about euthanasia. It truly is a sucker-punch to the audience, who does not necessarily see it coming. At least, I didn't. Oh yeah, and if you HAVEN'T seen the movie yet, knowing about it probably won't spoil it for you. There's a lot of other stuff in there.
I miss his movies like Pale Rider (good over evil), and giving you some hope at the end. Maybe he figures by doing movies that depress people it'll make him a more viable candidate for an Oscar. Well, it's working. Personally, the person who I think REALLY deserves it is Mel Gibson, who has essentially been shut out by those open-minded folks in Hollywood. Gee whiz, they were falling all over themselves about the violence in The Passion, but all the other stuff in Hollywood (Rape, Torture, Murder, Adultery, Demons, etc.) is OK w/them. Is this an upside down world, or what?