Great

Rating: Null/10 (11 March 2008)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)
**** (out of 4)
It's rather amazing to see how much great work Clint Eastwood has done over the past fifteen years. It's so great in fact that I think you really need to take a closer look at him as being one of the greatest filmmakers of recent decades. I certainly don't think this is one of the greatest films ever made but it's certainly a revalation in today's terms since Eastwood has the balls to do something the audience doesn't expect. I knew something happened at the end but I was able to not have it spoiled by reading nothing about the film. I went back and read some of the controversy that came up and found it all quite silly. I guess when people have nothing better to do they start stuff up. In the discussion thread here I saw a lot of people bashing the white trash family in the film and I found it rather funny that their locations had them in states not really known for "white trash". Being from KY and having to hear these jokes, I must say this is one of the most realistic examples of this type of family. In fact, I'd say it was the most realistic and there certainly wasn't any cartoonish moments or over the top moments. The performances by Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman are right on the mark. As with Mystic River, it's good to throw the CGI in the toilet and see a movie being carried by great acting.
As for the ending, again bless Eastwood.