La fille à un million de dollars

Clint Eastwood always explores the darker side of human nature and the duality of man. His dark hero of Unforgiven, William Munny, tries to repent only to be thrust back into that violent world he knows so well. His regretful Frank Horrigan of In The Line Of Fire and his womanizing Steve Everett of True Crime also want redemption.

Eastwood's Frankie Dunn of Million Dollar Baby is the most conflicted, weathered, and vulnerable he's ever played. When he weeps in a darkened church it's like watching a house of cards begin to fall. This is a man whose had a regretful past and can't run away from the curve balls life has thrown at him. Frankie Dunn is like most of us where we eventually get punished for our good deeds.

The funny thing is that Million Dollar Baby is not a boxing movie despite the way it's being advertised like a female version of Rocky. Yes, Hilary Swank's Maggie trains to be a boxer under the guidance of Clint Eastwood's Frankie Dunn. Yes, Morgan Freeman is Scrap, Frankie's tough friend and ex boxer. Yes, the bulk of it takes place in a boxing gym. Yes, there are numerous boxing matches. Despite all this it's still not a boxing movie.

When you see it you'll be surprised by the utter humanity in the piece. This film runs very deep and you will care for the three main characters. Eastwood gives us something we rarely get in films today. He gives us real people.

The film is about the triumph of the human spirit, the emotional world we try to hide from that eventually sucks us all in, our compassionate hearts, and the difficult decisions we face when it comes to those we care about. It's about friendship, trust, and the bonds of the heart that are unavoidable. It is a true masterpiece.

Hilary Swank is all fire and guts as Maggie. Her intensity and commitment has guided her to another Academy Award. She knows she's poor, she accepts it, and she pushes forward despite her limitations. This is not to say she can't be hurt. We watch her eyes well up a few times and truly feel her pain despite the fact that she is as tough as they come. Morgan Freeman, who finally won a long overdue and well deserved Oscar, plays Scrap with the perfect combination of toughness and compassion. He knows the situation from every angle and his narration of the film rings true.

See this film. It deserves it's accolades because it's about real characters and it's directed with honesty, warmth, and true pain. Clint Eastwood gets better with age and his films reflect the days of real movie making. The sets are simple, the characters are complex, and the story moves in a pace closer to real life than any other director could reach. Eastwood has been called the Hemingway of Film making. You don't get more real than that. It was great seeing this natural storyteller take home his second Oscar for Best Director and Picture.

Million Dollar Baby is a movie about boxing like Braveheart is a movie about men in kilts riding horses. What it is is a movie to experience if you find yourself ever entertaining thoughts about loyalty, determination, talent, no talent, age, youth, courage, fear, fate, and the pain and joy of both living and dying.

I read reviews of Million Dollar Baby and expected to like it. Roger Ebert can be soft on movies because he is plainly a big fan, but even he does not lightly toss around the M-word, masterpiece. Yet he drops it on MDB, and justly so. The story is simple and searing. A gal (Hilary Swank) with much heart and no experience aspires to be the champion of the world. She is Rocky in a sports bra. A grizzled fight trainer-manager/gym owner (Clint Eastwood) reluctantly takes her on. His best pal and wise-man assistant (Morgan Freemna) stands alongside them, as the plot unwinds steadily, seamlessly, picking up speed, scene by scene, act after act. Eastwood and Freeman are artists at the top of their profession and they, along with the brilliant Swank, present you the very worthy lives of three people you will care about and remember. The arena is boxing, but it might as well have been boating or baking. It is a story about values and truths that far exceed sports and movies. I walked into the Lowes Lincoln Square theater last night knowing Million Dollar Baby was taking me on a ride and willing to hop aboard. What a beautiful, memorable ride it was.

Saw "Million Dollar Baby" in Manhattan last night. Clint Eastwood, one of the all-time most famous actors -- and directors -- has more than enough money where he could choose to pull the strings on block-buster, mindless action pictures, ala Jerry Bruckheimer, or comic books. Or, hell, in his twilight years he could just lay back and enjoy his millions. But no. He has chosen instead to make quieter, lower-budget, heart-felt, character driven films like "The Unforgiven" "True Crime" "Mystic River" and now Million Dollar Baby. And the world is a better place for it. Eastwood uses his multiple talents to make films that have something valuable to say. In the emotionally powerful, Million Dollar Baby, he tells an allegorical tale of boxing to subtly express themes of hope, redemption, sacrifice, persistence, and belief in one's self. The movie emphasizes that failure is a more honorable and personally fulfilling trait than never having tried, while also frowning upon laziness and leeching off others. But see the movie and judge for yourself. I personally consider great films as the ones where I leave the theater with a better understanding of human nature, or a desire to improve the world by even a little bit. Eastwood's latest more than succeeds on those counts.

Clint Eastwood is a legendary film personality. I am a great fan of his. As an actor, I had my reservations with him, but as a storyteller, I have truly inhaled him. 'Million Dollar Baby' is amongst his finest films, a superb film, that almost reaches a Landmark level!

About a hardened trainer/manager works with a determined woman in her attempt to establish herself as a boxer. 'Million Dollar Baby' begins with some humor, then it improves itself into becoming a motivational punch, but ends as a dry and depressing saga. I adored almost everything about the film, except the final 20-25 minutes. The culmination is very depressing. In fact, one just doesn't imagine it would have to end this way! But in all fairness, this one is a winner!

Eastwood's understanding to the subject is objective and that's biggest plus point. Tom Stern's Cinematography is splendid. Joel Cox's editing is razor-sharp.

In the acting department, Hilary Swank delivers a Knock-out performance. She is the life of the show. Morgan Freeman is wonderfully restrained. Eastwood's performance, is a pure of example, of apt multi-tasking. Jay Baruchel as Danger, is flawless. Anthony Mackie is his usual self. Brian F. O'Byrne is passable.

On the whole, the list of accolades this 2004 flick received is truly unprecedented. It's got a legendary tag. From this writer, Thumbs Up!

No words will do justice to this movie. Just watch.