MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Directed by Clint Eastwood
Screenplay by Paul Haggis

Main Cast:
"Frankie Dunn" - Clint Eastwood
"Maggie Fitzgerald" - Hilary Swank
"Eddie Scrap" - Morgan Freeman

Rated PG-13
2 hrs. 12 min.

Note: This review may contain some spoilers...

This one unquestionably has it all: drama, wittiness, misfortune, love, companionship, dysfunctional families, loyalty, violence, and action. At first, Million Dollar Baby seemed like it was just a boxing movie, but it was still really well done. But suddenly, it turned into a completely different movie that compels your interest even more. This is definitely one of Clint Eastwood's best-directed films. Clint Eastwood plays boxing trainer and gym owner “Frankie.” He tries to be tough with his boxers, but that fails since he's really a softy at heart. His loyalty is taken advantage of by boxers he manages until now. Actress Hilary Swank plays as "Maggie', a really poor Missouri waitress with a long-shot dream. It's the unhurried developing bond of Frankie Dunn, who claims he doesn’t like to train girls, and Maggie Fitzgerald, who only wants Frankie to train her, that brings the audience in and makes them a part of this tender need to do the one thing you believe you can do, and do it before it's regrettably too late.

The boxing scenes are absolutely vicious and full of intense excitement. I found myself cheering at each fight Maggie fought in. I felt like I was in the arena actually seeing Hillary Swank kicking butt up close and personal. Mr. Clint Eastwood is cool and brilliant, as director and he rightfully deserved the Oscar for Best Director. Heck, the movie is unbelievably brilliant. Clint Eastwood is a tremendous actor as well and his directing is incredibly even better. He’s 75 years old, but he has never lost his touch at all. Paul Haggis wrote this very insightful movie and he has my high opinion. Hillary Swank definitely deserved to receive the Oscar for her performance. She was amazing in every scene when she was in and brought in all kinds of emotion to the atmosphere. Morgan Freeman is a great actor who received the acknowledgment he deserves when he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He plays as “Scrap,” Frankie’s long-time friend and the first one to believe in Maggie. This movie truly deserves to be Movie of the Year.

At the end of the movie, I honestly cried and proudly applauded the movie. The movie is incredibly moving with emotion and is very realistic to life. The ending of this movie is pretty powerful, in my opinion. The choice Frankie makes wasn’t an easy one at all. He was struggling with it all the way and was frustrated all the way. Maggie and Frankie became a lot closer than daughter and father. Frankie and Scrap were all Maggie had left in the end, too. Her body broke down on her, she lost her legs, her family wanted nothing but money from her and boxing became her life. All she wanted was to be someone and she was, but then it was all taken away from her at the end. In the end, she couldn’t do that any more and she didn't want it to be like that. The beauty was brought to the bond between Maggie and Frankie. The bond that excelled to the point where Frankie would do anything for Maggie, even something he thinks is utterly wrong. I won’t spoil it for you, though. I can honestly say that the movie will move you with the choice Frankie has to make and will move you of what happens to Maggie. Her dream, her glory, and her love will move you, definitely. You need to tell others to see Million Dollar Baby and you need to see it. If I were to describe this movie in one word, it would be… Masterpiece.

Final Grade: A+

Quoted Text Million Dollar Baby seemed like it was just a boxing movie

Why do you say this? What is wrong with just another boxing movie?

I have seen many boxing films and actual boxing in my time and I enjoy the transition from real life to choreographed. Rocky is the front runner in most people's minds and I understand this but Rocky is and so are most a raw look at what the sport does to its "stars" though I don't think Rocky was all that special.

Comedy doesn't do sports justice.

I liked this film, thought it had a lot of heart which studio films rarely ever do but the character building beyond the 3 main guys was non existent and that hurts this film.

The ending was disappointing at best because I would have liked it to end in the gym maybe with Danger and bringing the two main guys back together over Maggie's death because they never really do come back together.

The DVD has a couple good special features, why they needed a second disc is beyond me but still a good film about women’s boxing which if you actually watch it is on par with the men if they were given the chance.