Just when I thought Mystic River couldn't be topped

Rating: 9/10 (4 March 2005)

I just saw Million Dollar Baby about 2 hours ago, and I'll admit that I was a bit non-decided on how much I liked the film; there's no doubt that I liked it. I've always admired Clint Eastwood's style and choice of films to make, his films are so human at the core and that's something that's sorely missed. Every time I see that Eastwood has directed a film, I am eager to watch it. The stories he chooses and the characters he shows are the essence of human everyday life; and as a result I can FEEL his films that much more. This time around, however, the simplicity and realness of the story was SO MUCH that I was almost numb after wards. Unlike Mystic River, which was more in-your-face, raw emotion that could be immediately recognized; Million Dollar Baby is so much more reserved, almost passive in telling its tale that all of its influence can't be initially taken in. Million Dollar Baby is so "bare-boned" it's almost scary to look at. It's so subtle that I didn't recognize the true beauty of it until further contemplation as I was leaving the theater.
Because of this, I can honestly say that Clint has truly mastered film-making (in his own way of course). This, to me, represents Eastwood's pinnacle; THE blueprint for an Eastwood film in the truest sense. The beauty and genius of MDB is that everything is not spoon-fed to the audience. For example, we never find out why Clint's (Frankie) daughter doesn't want anything to do with him. Then again, it doesn't really matter. I think of it as a "longer-lasting McGuffin". We just know that Frankie's life has forever changed because of his estranged relationship, and everything he does is a result of it. Nothing is really forced on us; which is perfectly represented by Freeman's narration, which is simply a guide with no influencing tone throughout. It's a classic story told in the simplest of fashions; we have just been fortunate enough to 'drop in', if you will, on the lives of these three people. This has become a signature of Eastwood's films.sure it could be said to be present in other films, but no one captures that effect the way Clint does.
I don't really have to say it now, but the acting is truly first class. Eastwood is as good as he's ever been as Frankie, you can't help but genuinely FEEL his character. The same could be said for Morgan Freeman, who is one of the greatest actors ever. For a man with such a commanding presence on the screen, Freeman underplays his character perfectly. Swank as Maggie is just wonderful. I could see the dedication that she put into the character; it was a sight to see. As said before, the story (a surprisingly dark one) is classic; but it's told in a way that doesn't come off as preachy or overly sappy. Frankie has lost much in his life; he's a grieving old man who is trying to hold onto whatever he can but it always finds a way to wiggle out of his grasp. He had just about given up when Maggie came along and he reluctantly gets attached again. He goes through it all with Maggie and learns to love again; when again it was being taken away from him. Only this time, he wasn't going to stand around and let it wiggle out of his hand.this time he set it down and let it go.on HIS terms. He may not have wanted to let go and be hurt once again, but the strength he showed displayed the love he had; love that would never die. He had learned that he could indeed love again, and it was there until the very end. Scrap had it all at one point, but after losing his eye in a title fight his dream was deferred. He'd gotten the title fight he'd always wanted and let it all out. but at a price. He has since been reduced to a help man at the local boxing gym, a life that he seems to accept because that's about as useful as he's going to be. He is best friends with Frankie, about the only one that Frankie truly has; but even their relationship has an uneasiness to it.they exist now almost as a father/son tandem, most likely to make up for what Frankie views as his mistake for not protecting Scrap's well-being many years ago. Maggie was a nobody who just wanted a chance at life and eventually got it. The simplicity of her story is the beauty of it; and it is also the reason you can come to terms with her decision that much easier at the end of the film, no matter how coarse and sorrowful it seems. She got her chance, lived the life she wanted to live; she had her family (now Frankie); and that's all she ever wanted.
Million Dollar Baby is such a beautiful, simple story with so many layers; that's why it works so well. It may take more than one viewing to realize completely the essence of the film. If any lesson is learned here it's "simple is better". Eastwood takes that to heart with all of his films, and that philosophy has been fully mastered and realized by him; putting him in the upper echelon of the greatest filmmakers in movie history. Just when we thought Mystic River couldn't be topped, we are blessed with 'an old master's new masterpiece'.I couldn't put it better. I can only imagine what Eastwood will come with next, but this gem is one for the ages.
**** out of **** stars.