Million Dollar Baby Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)January 10th, 2005
"Million Dollar Baby"
Director Clint Eastwood seemed assured of winning the Oscar last year for his masterful helming job with "Mystic River" but, after three years of rolling out the internationally acclaimed, three part "The Lord of the Rings," Peter Jackson finally receive his due.
Now, the septuagenarian director vies again for the golden statuette with his foray into the world of female boxing, with Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, in "Million Dollar Baby."
Eastwood has crafted a boxing movie that holds more akin to the 1956 Paul Newman starrer, "Somebody Up There Likes Me," or "Requiem For A Heavyweight" than the "Rocky" franchise, to which it is most compared.
On the surface, the latter comparison seems apt but, when you get more deeply in "M$B," you realize that this is a much more old-fashioned sports film that takes a dramatic plot twist in its finale that transport it from the realm of cliché. This story could be taken back to the 1940's requiring only one change to make it contemporary for that era – make the femme Maggie character (Swank) into a guy.
Eastwood stars as Frankie Dunn, a former fighter-turned-manager who has trained a string of top fighters over the years. His problem, begun years ago when he advised his friend, Scrap (Morgan Freeman), to continue a fight only to be blinded in one eye. Since then, Frank can't let go and holds back one after another boxer because he is afraid they are not trained well enough. One day, Maggie shows up at the gym and begins a campaign to get the veteran manager to train her to be a boxer. Unbeknownst to Frankie, Scrap takes an active interest in the dedicated 31-year old woman and secretly coaches her with the hopes of attracting Frank's attention. The plan works and Maggie begins a steady rise to the top.
This is filmmaking by a man who understands his craft from both sides of the camera. Clint Eastwood shows his half century of acting experience in his well seasoned performance as a man who has suffered (and
given) some hard knocks over the years and is guilty of, if anything, caring too much. His initially gruff outer shell is tempered with humor as he faithfully attends mass every day and takes any opportunity to theologically bait his parish priest, Father Horvak (Brian F. O'Byrne). Frank's grudging faith in the church and God is called upon to give him strength when tragedy befalls his tiny "family" of Scup, Maggie and the gym's simple-minded "mascot," Danger (Jay Baruchel).
"M$B" is an actor's film and there are three solid performances garnered her. Eastwood doesn't really stretch in the role of Frankie Dunn. It is a comfortable performance with its patented gruff exterior and softly sentimental interior. Swank is OK as Maggie but it took a while for me to believe, as the story unfolds, that she had it in her to be a boxer. The sudden transformation into a Terminator-like, one-two punch knockout queen is handled a bit too pat and the repetitive nature of win after win is distracting. Morgan Freeman as best friend, secret mentor, film narrator and all around nice guy is, of course, a pleasure to watch.
Fighting techs are well handled, though a bit perfunctory, but the story is well-paced, entertaining and, in the end, sobering. "M$B" is an old-fashioned, throwback kind of sports film, made contemporary, with graceful performances and craftsman direction. I give it a B+.
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