Review of Million Dollar Baby (2004) by Panda B — 09 May 2011

Quite simply one of the best films of any genre I've ever seen: This is on a par with "Gran Torino" and "Changeling" as one of Clint's best films, and up there with "Raging Bull" as one of the best boxing-related movies - it makes "Rocky" look totally average in it's exploration of the function and disfunction of humanity.

It's Hilary Swank's performance as Maggie, aspiring championship contender and down-at-heel waitress, which is at the heart of the film's dialogue - as with any great film, you don't realise you care about her until events take an unexpected turn for the worse (after a meteoric rise and a string of first round knockouts) and her dreams of fame and fortune hit the rocks. She's left on a life-support machine after one too many fights, her spinal injuries (inflicted by a dirty fighter) too much for even Clint's Frankie Dunn to patch up, unlike her earlier broken nose and facial lacerations. He's completely believable as the hard-bitten trainer with too many years and too much emotional baggage on his mileometer, as is Morgan Freeman in one of his best roles since "Shawshank Redemption".

If anyone else had gone against the Hollywood "happy ending" rule it wouldn't have worked so well, because you're still hoping it will all miraculously resolve itself by some cheap plot device even though you know the path is leading downwards and that's not where the story's going. It is with the utmost love and affection that Frankie finally pulls the plug on Maggie's life support and ends her suffering, after she puts her ungrateful trailer trash family in their place in one last victory.

All in all, it's the work of a master of his craft, taking a journey with a top notch cast which re-affirms the power a good film can wield over an audience and doesn't shy away from thorny issues like mercy killing. See!