Million Dollar Baby Review
by Wahid Sharif (moodybastard_717 AT hotmail DOT com)December 20th, 2004
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004)
a review by
Wahid Sharif
As I write this review, I can barely contain the excitement that's inside of me. It's the excitement of watching a great film and wanting to tell everyone - friends, family, and strangers to see it. Not too many films today can create that kind of excitement, but Clint Eastwood's latest film, "Million Dollar Baby" is an exception. In fact, it's exceptional and the masterpiece that practically every major film critic is saying that it is. It's not a boxing film, although it has boxing in it. It is, however, a life-affirming story of hope and determination that will resonate with everyone. It's a film that's joyous at one point and then it becomes heartbreaking - giving you the kinds of emotions that embodies life itself. This film is ,without a doubt, one of the best films of the year, and I wouldn't be surprised if it wins the Best Picture Oscar.
As boxing trainer and cutman named Frankie Dunn, Eastwood gives his best performance as an actor in years as he runs a boxing gym with ex-boxer Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (the always wonderful Morgan Freeman, who also narrates this film). Frankie has been a boxing trainer for a long time, but he hasn't taken a fighter to the top. Enter Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank in a brilliant, Oscar worthy performance) who's determned to be a boxer, and wants Frankie to train her, but Frankie is stern and not in the business of training "girls". Maggie remains persistant in wanting to be a great boxer, and wanting Frankie to train her. Eddie, who has this melancholy air about him, is a little more flexable than Frankie, thus he helps Maggie and sees something in her. After awhile, Frankie lets down his guard and begins to see something in her as well. He agrees to train her, with conditions of course. Under Frankie's training, Maggie starts to realize her dream as a prizefighter.
Yes, the plot to this film is simple, and that's perfectly fine. In this day and age of overstylized visuals, MTV-like editing mixed with stories that are stale and predictable as the taste of a McDonalds burger, here's a film in "Million Dollar Baby" that goes back to the basic storytelling of three-dimensional characters, excellent acting, and directing (with strong visuals that compliment the story, and not to cover-up its shortcomings). After watching "Million Dollar Baby", you feel like you've known Frankie, Eddie, and Maggie for years. We understand the real reason why Frankie is reluctant to train Maggie, and it's not simply because she's a girl. As their relationship progresses, Maggie becomes like a daughter to Frankie, somewhat replacing the estranged daughter that Frankie has been trying to contact for years. For Eddie, who's dreams of winning a title as boxer died a long time ago (with Frankie as his trainer and cutman at that time. Frankie feels somewhat responsible for Eddie losing an eye after his last fight), he admires Maggie's spirit and determination, and tries to help her any way he can. For Maggie, the one thing she's always known in her life is that she's trash, coming from a hillbilly background. Having Frankie and Eddie in her life to guide her inside and outside the ring dispells any notion that's she's trash. She is representative of anyone who's had hopes and dreams to better themselves in life and to have that "one shot" to achieve whatever it is they want in life, whether they succeed or fail. As John Cassavetes once said, "Isn't better to realize your dreams, to fight and to lose, rather than gripe and pine away in silence".
GRADE: A+
Wahid Sharif
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