Great Film: Million Dollar Baby
Loved The Ride
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.
Cast
- Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris played by Morgan Freeman
- Maggie Fitzgerald played by Hilary Swank
- Earline Fitzgerald played by Margo Martindale
- Frankie Dunn played by Clint Eastwood
- Danger Barch played by Jay Baruchel
- Big Willie Little played by Mike Colter
- Billie 'The Blue Bear' played by Lucia Rijker
