"Overrated"? Nope. It really is one of the year's best films.

Rating: 9/10 (18 August 2005)

A lot of people were disappointed by Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" (at least those I talked to) and said it didn't live up to the critical hype.
I was one of the few who wasn't disappointed and felt it was as good as its reputation would lead one to believe. When "Million Dollar Baby" came around, I knew it was a film I wouldn't want to miss.
I used to/occasionally box and this film doesn't really capture the training struggle that "Rocky" did. Like "Raging Bull," it's more of a character study set against a backdrop of sports. ("Rocky" was, too, but of the three, it was the most sports-heavy.) "Baby" isn't really a "sports" movie, it's all about characters. It works very well.
Eastwood's direction is superb. I don't know if his performance was Oscar-worthy, but then again, I don't recall Clint ever crying (at least so convincingly) in any of his other films.
Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank both deliver great performances. It's a really fine film, a well-told story and a heartbreaking character study.
If you liked "Mystic River," you'll love this.