My handkerchief stayed dry.

Rating: 6/10 (15 February 2005)

"Million Dollar Baby" is a plain and predictable movie which was confidently directed, and has three very good performances. I just cannot believe how many clichés it's got - the estranged daughter of Frankie (Eastwood) to whom he writes every week and receives every letter back not opened. This device was used for Freeman's character's narration - in the last scene of the film we realize that he was telling the story to Frankie's daughter to convince her that her father was a good man. The main character, Maggie the waitress (Hillary Swank) eating table scraps and counting pennies, makes a long trip to LA to be trained by Frankie to became a boxing champion - why is she so determined to have him as her trainer we'll never know. Her conversation with Frankie when she remembers her father and her dog, Axel that was put asleep when became sick - kind of lets you know what to expect in the end. The ominous descriptions of a German champion Billy the Blue Bear, "the dirtiest killing machine" - you know what will happen way before the movie takes it turn. It should've ended just after the turn with Maggie's death - the final round of the movie is despicable in its manipulation. It is hard for me to believe that Maggie practically fall apart from the lack of the proper care - it was shown that way to squeeze as many tears from the audience as possible. What it squeezed from me was anger and burning desire to hiss "Die already!!!" It is also quite predictable that all members of Maggie's family are the crude caricatures. By the way, her sister does not look like a redneck girl who keeps having babies and cheats on Welfare but this is a small detail. Final heartbreaking scene between Maggie and Frankie - in her last moment he told her what Gaelic phrase 'Mo cosúlacht' means and of course, it should make the audiences cry even harder. But if you think of it, Maggie had the robe with the sign for months, her many Irish fans kept greeting her with this phrase all the time - and she never was curious enough to find out (through the dictionary or just by asking any of her fans) what it meant. Again, it is a small detail but I hate to be manipulated by the cheap tricks and the movie has lots of them. Oh, I almost forgot the mentally retarded boy in the Frankie's Gym whose only purpose to be in the gym and in the movie was to provide a triumphant moment for Freeman's Scrap and the comical relief exactly in the right time.
You know, when I think of it, I hate the whole idea of women boxing - I find it unnatural, cruel, and absolutely unsympathetic. If Maggie was able to safe a few pennies to get to that Gym, if she was so subtle, strong willed and determined to change her life, to pull herself out of the trailer park, to become somebody, to not be called "white trash", why did not she go to school - to better herself, to receive education. She was smart enough to know where she came from and to want to get out of there, so, why choose the way she chose? But I guess, the movie was not supposed to answer this question.
I believe that Eastwood is an incredible artist at almost 75 - with sure hand, great style, and sharp mind. I loved the music he wrote for the movie, I liked his acting (as well as Swank's and Freeman's), and I wish him well at the Oscars but for me, "Million Dollar Baby" was not the Best film of the year, not even close. 6.5/10