After the somewhat hysterical Mystic River - a flawed work dominated by a powerhouse performance from Sean Penn - this is a far more balanced piece, anchored by three terrific turns and some lean direction from Eastwood.
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:220
Fresh:201
Rotten:19
Average Rating:8.3/10
Consensus: Critics are calling Clint Eastwood's latest a knockout, with fine performances and filmmaking that elevate clichéd material to new emotional heights.
Runtime: 2 hrs 12 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Released a little over a year after the grand success of his Oscar-winning feature MYSTIC RIVER, Clint Eastwood returns to the director's chair for MILLION DOLLAR BABY. Eastwood also stars, in the... Released a little over a year after the grand success of his Oscar-winning feature MYSTIC RIVER, Clint Eastwood returns to the director's chair for MILLION DOLLAR BABY. Eastwood also stars, in the role of Frankie Dunn, a down-on-his-luck former boxing manager who spends the twilight years of his life running a small, dilapidated gym in downtown Los Angeles. Frankie's previous career was blighted by an injury to one of his prize fighters, Scrap (Morgan Freeman), who lost the sight in his right eye during a particularly brutal bout; Scrap now wiles away the hours working as a cleaner in Frankie's gym. Wary of similar occurrences being inflicted on the prestigious young talent that passes before him, Frankie lets a succession of great boxers slip through his fingers. But when the brash, confident young boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) strides into the gym, Frankie's life is irretrievably altered. Initially refusing to train Maggie due to her gender and age, Frankie relents when faced with her tenacity, spirit, and burning ambition. The combination of Maggie's talent and Frankie's tutelage paves the way for the adroit fighter to rise steadily through the ranks of women's boxing, with the unlikely coupling forming a genuinely touching bond in the process. Clint Eastwood has crafted a boxing film fit to stand alongside classics such as RAGING BULL and ROCKY with MILLION DOLLAR BABY. The scenes between Eastwood and Freeman are a delight to watch, with the two old hands pulling off masterfully understated performances as a couple of men teetering on the brink of failure. Likewise, Swank puts in a powerful turn as Maggie, further emphasizing her penchant for unusual roles, and perhaps even bettering her incredible, Oscar-winning showing as Teena Brandon in BOYS DON'T CRY. [More]
Starring: Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood, Jay Baruchel
Starring: Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood, Jay Baruchel, Christina Cox
Director: Clint Eastwood
Director: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: Paul Haggis
Producer: Tom Rosenberg, Albert S. Ruddy, Paul Haggis, Clint Eastwood
Composer: Clint Eastwood
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Million Dollar Baby
To steal from Ali, this one floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.
The fight scenes are well-handled and Eastwood includes several nice touches, such as the way Maggie practically gallops into every fight, or the smile on Frankie's face when she wins her first match.
Ripe with boxing movie clichés and slow to the point of distraction, this melancholy tale of an ageing trainer and the girl pugilist he takes under his wing nonetheless packs a stunning emotional punch.
This film has a quiet confidence that catches the rhythms of both a strong story and engaging performances
"Million Dollar Baby" is a tragic film about an innately paternal man's desperate need to overcome his own emotional traps and the loyal girl who facilitates his growth by her steely will and stubborn drive.
Million Dollar Baby adds to Clint Eastwood's legacy in ways we might not have expected. It explores emotional terrain as he hasn't done before, and it gives him a kind of role that he has never had before.
Like Eastwood, it's a relic that dazzles you with its footwork, daring and class.
This is Eastwood's weakest work in years, perhaps because it yokes itself to a hot-button theme instead of a story that resonates.
A devastating act of mercy for one character may very well cost the soul of another.
Million Dollar Baby is a strong contender, but it suffers a TKO in the last round.
Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is a masterpiece, pure and simple, deep and true.
what's great about Eastwood, is how he turns cliche to cinematic archetype, and throws in a modern twist at the same time
Though conventional in many respects, it feels like no other boxing film ever made, due largely to Eastwood's unmistakable presence on both sides of the camera.
Latest News for Million Dollar Baby
August 21, 2009:
Billy Bob Thornton Weighs Pound for Pound ![]()
Billy Bob Thornton will play a retired boxer whose life takes an unexpected turn in Ron Shelton's "Pound for Pound," an adaptation of the book by "Million Dollar Baby" author... More...
March 20, 2008:
Clint Eastwood Directing, Starring in Gran Torino
For a guy who's continually rumored to be done with acting, Clint Eastwood is doing a pretty good job of staying busy in front of the camera. More...
May 24, 2007:
Screenwriter Paul Haggis Enticed Back to "Bond 22"
If you liked "Casino Royale," (and who didn't?) you'll be happy to know that the screenwriting trio is now back in action for the 22nd Bond flick. More...
February 26, 2007:
How Does "The Departed" Rank Among Oscar's Best?
So Martin Scorsese finally has his long-overdue, much-deserved Oscar. But where does "The Departed" stack up in the annals of Academy history? More...
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