Review of Million Dollar Baby (2004) by Nicky S — 24 Oct 2013

This impressive feat from actor/director Clint Eastwood makes for a tearful cry, which is rare in a sports dramas, and it also says a lot about a character that remains an example of complex storytelling in films.

Without stressing the twists and turns of the plot, and the obvious inclination at spoiler alert, this film is easy to clarify. What I can tell you is that this film is not an average sports drama and it is a film that centers more on atonement, guilt, and the pursuit of self-preservation and dignity.

The film centers on the dynamic relationship between trainer Frankie (Eastwood) and fighter in training Maggie (Swank). Frankie is still pained about his friend Eddie (Freeman) having gone in blind in one eye because he didn't call a fight in time.

Frankie now trains men in the local gym that he and Eddie own, Frankie dealing with cut work in-between fights and Eddie helping out some of the weaklings, including Danger (Baruchel) who toys around with the idea of becoming a fighter.

Frankie meets Maggie while she pursues him to be her trainer, and they grow a friendship that leads to mutual trust and understanding. The way Frankie deals with the injuries of boxing, getting away from his past and yet relives it at the same time, is devastating to watch.

One minute everything is starting to feel positive, and the story remains uplifting for both Frankie and Maggie, and then Frankie is faced with his past yet again. Maggie, as a character, is one of the most interesting women to be put onscreen in some time.

Not only does she take interest in her future, but she does something about it, and becomes friends with Frankie, eventually taking on the role of daughter, since his own won't talk to him. She has a horrible family, a stalled past, and complete ambition, besides being feisty.

There's also a priest character in the film who is very interesting and works well against Frankie's hardened demeanor and moral quandaries. By the end Frankie seems to have found closure, but he has also sacrificed a part of him that will never grow anew.

It's heartbreaking, and if the ending is not ruined for you already, this is definitely going to surprise you.