Million Dollar Baby

Rating: Null/10 (6 February 2005)

Million Dollar Baby, is based on the stories in the book Rope Burns by F.X. Toole. The film is about an aging boxing trainer named Frankie Dunn, who works at a gym who one day meets a young woman named Maggie Fitzgerald, who says that she wants to be a boxer and that she wants him to train her. Frankie, doesn't like the idea of training a girl so he says no but soon Frankie, and his friend Eddie, notice that she comes and works out everyday at their gym and soon Frankie, sees how persistent she is and he takes her on as his boxer. They soon also bond together and something happens that brings the characters together in an unforgettable way. Winner of The BSFC Award for Best Actress (Hilary Swank, who plays Maggie Fitzgerald) at The Boston Society Of Film Critics Awards, The BFCA Award for Best Actress at The Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, The CFCA Award for Best Director (Clint Eastwood) at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, The DFWFCA Award for Best Actress and Best Picture at The Dallas Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards, The FFCC Award for Best Actress at The Florida Film Critics Circle Awards, The Golden Globe Award for Best Director and Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture Drama at The Golden Globes, The Golden Satellite Award for Best Actress In A Motion Picture Drama and Best Adapted Screenplay at The Golden Satellite Awards, The KCFCC Award for Best Actress and Best Film at The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards, The Special Achievement Award for Clint Eastwood for producing, directing and composing the score for the film at The National Board Of Review, The NSFC Award for Best Actress and Best Film at The National Society Of Film Critics Awards, The NYFCC Award for Best Director at The New York Film Critics Circle Awards, The PFCS Award for Best Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role at The Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards, The SDFCS Award for Best Director and Best Original Score at The San Diego Film Critics Society Awards, The Seattle Film Critics Award for Best Director and Best Picture at The Seattle Film Critics Award and The USC Scripter Award for the film's screenplay at The USC Scripter Awards. Million Dollar Baby, has good direction, a good script, great performances from everybody involved, good original music, good cinematography, good film editing, good production design, good art direction and good set decoration. Million Dollar Baby, starts off a bit slow and I didn't know if I would like it or not but soon the film became more and more interesting and you could really start to like and care for these characters. And there is a lot more to this story than boxing and sports. It also deals with emotions and things that people actually have to go through like everyday struggles. In telling us this story Million Dollar Baby is intimate, full of emotion, powerful, a good character study, is touching and overall a sweet and tender film. Million Dollar Baby, is one of the best films of 2004 and it will appeal to those even who don't like sports. A truly great film that I hope does well this awards season.