Review of Million Dollar Baby (2004) by Adrian B — 16 Jan 2012
A topic of a young woman (Hilary Swank) who wants to be successful boxer would lead the viewer to expect predictable results within this movie. Not so much! Instead, it becomes an absorbing character study.
A boxing gym owner (Clint Eastwood) grudgingly trains a female boxer, with the impression that she is doomed to fail, since she is too old (31) to fight and a woman for that matter (his belief is that boxing is exclusively a man's sport).
However, her persistence in fighting pays off and her and her trainer begin to go on the road, leading to substantial generation of income. Unfortunately, her success in the ring leads to utter tragedy.
Slightly slow start generates into an incredibly, powerful film, with great performances by Eastwood, Swank, and Morgan Freeman. The story unfolds layer by layer, successfully drawing the viewer so that we are emotionally attached to all the characters.
The last thirty minutes are real shock. The boxing scenes are terrifically filmed. It may not be "Raging Bull," but it should be given so kind of recognition of greatness, because "Million Dollar Baby" is a true gem.
By far much better than the overrated "Rocky.".
This review of Million Dollar Baby (2004) was written by Adrian B on 16 Jan 2012.
Million Dollar Baby has generally received very positive reviews.
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