Review of Million Dollar Baby (2004) by Gavin M — 20 Aug 2014

Before "Gran Torino" came out, I thought this was Clint Eastwood's best movie. This is a very heartfelt movie, with a very beautiful story attached to it. Clint Eastwood in my opinion gives the best performance of his career in the movie.

He gives a very stern, but emotional performance in the film especially towards the end of the movie where you just see his performance pour out of him. I've never seen Eastwood cry before in a movie, so when I saw this movie and towards the end of the movie where he opens up to the priest in the film about Hilary Swank, I had never been so shocked by a performance by him before and he usually plays the tough guy roles that he is know for like "Dirty Harry" and "Gran Torino.

" But in this movie he gives a very human performance in the movie, definitely making him worthy of the best actor nomination that year for the movie. But it's his keen eye directing that makes his performance and the movie work so well.

Hilary Swank also steps up to the plate with Eastwood and also gives in my opinion the best performance of her career in the movie. I knew as soon as I saw the movie she was gonna win best actress that year at the oscars.

She so good you can't take your eyes off her as you root for the entire movie. And also for Morgan Freeman, who has screen legend written all over him, gives an awesome supporting performance in the film as Eastwood's longest and closest boxing friend in the film, who he trained and managed him in a fight years ago when Freeman and Eastwood were young men and Freeman was I.

His prime as a boxer before losing his eye in a boxing match for getting hit too hard. The whole film is compelling to watch until it gets to the end with Swank's character as the movie becomes very emotional to sit through and watch.

It's the final act that earned the movie it's Best Picture win and Best Director for Clint Eastwood who deserved the award without a doubt that year. I definitely rank this as one of the best boxing movies of all time even though it's from a woman's perspective but who cares, the movie is pure magic all the way through the end; and I don't say that about a lot of movies.