A sour lesson

Rating: 7/10 (1 November 2007)

Million Dollar Baby" is Clint's 27th film at progress in directing. His turnover from that legendary course of bravery in "Unforgiven", is now set up in the flat; not charming arena of boxing. But did Clint Eastwood make a movie about boxing? Yes, no. Boxing is the element of desire; uniquely secondary for the movie but primordial to the character of Maggie, to improve on conditions. The lesson moves in a dimmed world, where characters are incomplete and they found in another the way to complete themselves. Eastwood shows his capacity to create credible characters; no dimensional yet dorky and cartoonish heroes. The heroes in "Million Dollar Baby" are those we seem to know; but not entirely. The lesson is "Nothing is beyond you", yet I find amazing how a very fine script can adjust a story of Frankie's redemption and anger by a lack of communication with his daughter. The film is a calm spectacle of everyday heroes, of great performances (Morgan Freeman with age absorbs perfection) yet a very sour taste. The ending is emotional, but can unbalance the fictional precision that was carried away. Indeed for that, another Academy Award and public award winner.