Million Dollar Baby Movie Review:


I'll be honest here -- previous to “Million Dollar Baby,” I'd seen only two of Clint Eastwood's works as a director: “Unforgiven” and “Mystic River.” I love the first film and like the second one very much. From what I hear concerning the Eastwood oeuvre, I've missed out on a lot of other good films and a fair share of bad ones. But in just three movies I can already feel Eastwood's distinctions. He takes his time telling a story; he cares greatly about characters as people; and in his hands, a genre piece obtains a breathing warmth.

Eastwood also takes time to find ways of putting violence in a proper perspective. Although trying to de-glorify it, he doesn't debase its innate, human appeal. The idea is not to denounce violence; it's to help us understand it better, from motive to consequence. “Million Dollar Baby” addresses the issue through the sport of boxing. In the film, Eastwood himself plays Frankie, the owner of a small boxing gym who also happens to be a skilled boxing trainer. He's hounded by Maggie (Hilary Swank), who wants his tutelage, but Frankie insists he doesn't train "girls."

There's more to it than that -- we find out that although Frankie is well-versed and enthusiastic about the sport of boxing, he's hesitant to encourage his fighters to contend for championship titles because he fears they won't be fully prepared for it. As a trained "cut man," Frankie knows how much damage can be wreaked when boxing is performed at its highest level. At the same time, those who are trained in the art of boxing often find it's one of their quickest recourses to financial security, an easy dream for those of low-economic status who happen to be fit for it. The Faustian conflict of boxing is highlighted here -- its allure tempting the less fortunate because riches can be won but almost always at the cost of brutal, even debilitating physical punishment.

It would be easy, then, for Eastwood to make us feel guilty about watching the boxing and being engaged by it, but he takes the conflict of boxing one step further by broadening its appeal to a strategic and, yes, a glorious one. The movie offers details about certain training aspects, and the payoff comes in the form of fight sequences that literally urge you to cheer the victories. Boxing is tragically entertaining, its participants almost willingly caught in a Catch-22, and now those participants even include women. Its existence as a sport is as inevitable as it is illogical. As Morgan Freeman's character puts it, "Everything in boxing is backwards."

Frankie's larger perspective of the sport causes his hesitations; meanwhile, Maggie's more limited perspective allows her to embrace its short-lived rewards. Both points-of-view are given credence by the time the movie ends. Believability is helped by the amount of time Eastwood spends on the three main characters played by Swank, Freeman and himself. Overall, “Million Dollar Baby” is a relationship/redemption story that has a lot to say about the sport of boxing. Once again, by taking his time and creating a careful pace, the director creates credible beings who can successfully play out his themes.

Eastwood needs every ounce of credibility his three stars can give him though; what works against “Million Dollar Baby” is an air of corniness in story aspects and some badly drawn side characters. A few of the events involving a skinny gym-rat and Maggie's mother are embarrassing in their uses as manipulative plot elements. When the movie works, it works in quiet ways; by contrast, its weaknesses push and prod with noticeable force. So a perfect picture this may not be, but it does have a lot going for it: excellent performances, the director's unique touch, and yet another angle of commentary on America's institutionalization of violence.



Jeffrey Chen

The world of boxing has been analyzed to death by the motion picture industry. Then why do we keep going back to the ring?

Because when magic happens in the ring we end up with instant classics like “Rocky”, “Billy Elliot”, “When We Were Kings” and the immortal “The Champ”.

For director Clint Eastwood, he has found a new way to channel the world of boxing like never before. Just when you though there was no new ground a director re-invents the wheel.

Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby” stars Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald, a lost white-trash waitress who survives by eating the scraps left by her patrons. Maggie only has one dream and she begs boxing trainer and manager Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) to train her to be the best she can be. There is only one problem, he doesn’t train “girls”.

Stubborn and persistent, Maggie trains her little heart out in Dunn’s gym and begins to earn the admiration of Dunn’s conscience and friend, Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman), who happens to be a retired boxer. Eventually Maggie and Dupris wear down Dunn and Maggie becomes Dunn’s boxer.

Maggie becomes unstoppable and changes Dunn’s outlook on the sport. What does fate have in store for these inter-linked souls? How can the sport of boxing change in a split second?

What is brilliant about “Million Dollar Baby” is that everything can change in a split second and you may not even realize it.

Then there are the performances of Eastwood, Freeman and Swank. Eastwood plays the grizzled unflinching Dunn to perfection much like a lot of the characters he has done throughout his career. Freeman hasn’t been this powerful in such a very long time. It truly is magic when you get these two veterans together on screen. It was magic in 1992’s “Unforgiven” and this film proves lightning does strike twice.

Then there is Hilary Swank, she was born to play this role and with every punch and a slur of the word “boss” she is in deed amazing. In 2000’s “Girlfight”, Michelle Rodriguez starred in one of the first motion pictures that focuses on the world of female boxing. Well Eastwood took that concept gave it incredible depth and hit it out the park with this film.

Another person who should be recognized is screenwriter Paul Haggis, who adapted the book “Rope Burns” for this film. Haggis is fondly remembered as the creator of the critically acclaimed television dramas, “Due South” and “EZ Streets”. Haggis delivers so many clever and quiet scenes that flesh out so much in each of the characters in the film. Haggis is famous for delivering intricate relationships and heavy layered dialogue. This film not only shows that but also proves that Haggis could become one of Hollywood’s greatest screenwriters. Can’t wait to see what he does next.

“Million Dollar Baby” is a pugilist film like no other and deserves to be honored as one of the year’s best.



So Says the Soothsayer

Dean Kish

Determined female boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) thinks she has the heart to be a world champion but she needs a trainer. Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) has just lost his prizefighter to another manager and he thinks he might never get the chance to take someone to a title fight. When friend Eddie ‘Scrap-Iron’ Dupris (Freeman) introduces him to Maggie. He reluctantly takes her on and some realises that she might have real potential.

Clint Eastwood remarkable directorial career continues with another highlight, as Million Dollar Baby is one of his best yet.

While some may argue that critics have to like the veteran actor/director’s movies as a matter of course and this could be just another film made to win awards but what Eastwood has produced here is a great sports movie that also highlights the human spirit. Interest in female boxing is increasing and this film shows that the dedication and determination is just as strong, whatever the gender.

What drives the movie is the performances of Clint Eastwood and Hillary Swank as Frankie and Maggie. Here are two people driven by their love of boxing but it also replaces the things that are missing in their lives. For Frankie, he uses it to forget about his estranged daughter who refuses to have contact with him. For Maggie boxing is a way of escaping the trappings of her self centred family and that she has grown up without a father. Now the pair has a common purpose with the sport but they also fill each other’s voids, making an unbreakable bond. It is this relationship between the characters that drives the film and makes it so watchable. It is easy to forget what a great actor Clint Eastwood is. He might be more know for his disgruntled hero roles and also his talents behind the camera in his later years but this is a true return to form for the veteran. Frankie is a hard-nosed, opinionated trainer who, against his better judgement, decides to take Maggie on. Clint plays the role superbly, making the character very believeable and real. The same can be said about Hilary Swank. Since winning the Oscar for ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ in 1999, people have been waiting for her to live up to the hype and with Maggie Fitzgerald she finally achieves this. Gaining weight and packing on the muscle, Swank transforms herself into a contender and a very believeable one at that. This is a role that really showcases her talents to the full as she creates a genuinely nice character that you really want to succeed.

With the film mainly about the two main characters and their relationship, the supporting cast don’t get as much screen time. Morgan Freeman is as good as ever as Eddie ‘Scrap-Iron’ Dupris and the narrator of the piece. This is the only other character that gets any real development and he gets his chance to shine as he plays opposite Clint Eastwood. His voice over is too reminiscent of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ however and does get slightly annoying until you find out the reasons behind it. The other characters don’t really get much of a look in with only Jay Baruchel as Danger having any real development.

The boxing scenes are very well choreographed and realistic, never too over the top and not afraid to show the bloodiness of the sport. Clint handles the action extremely well, using multiple angles and taking you into the action, giving the film more of a ‘Raging Bull’ feel than a ‘Rocky’. Hilary Swank excels in the ring and you never doubt her ability as a boxer, adding even more realism to the film.

Just as you are getting into the swing of the film a dramatic turn of events occurs and pushes the movie into a completely new direction. As first you may think this is a desperate attempt to win those golden statues but after a while you become totally engrossed again. Now the subject matter asks some serious questions about friendship, loyalty and love changing the film from a sports movie to a social drama. As you’d expect Eastwood and Swank rise to the task and provide some genuinely emotional cinema that could have you reaching for the tissues.

‘Million Dollar Baby’ is one of Clint Eastwood’s best films, both in front and behind the camera. Both his and Hilary Swank’s performances are first rate and it has a story that will have you cheering and crying. Knockout cinema.

Jamie Kelwick

 

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