"Oh. Thats very good. I'm undone, but not my favorite." - Johnny Depp, Chocolat

Rating: 5/10 (8 April 2005)

Million Dollar Baby is a story of a girl who has a dream and is hell-bent on fulfilling it, that dream is boxing, the girl is Maggie Fitzgerald. She is dedicated to make her dream come true and is desperate for a coach, and seeks out Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood,) and Dunn is scared off because he "doesn't train girls." Dunn finally submits to coaching Fitzgerald, and they are on their way to a title.
The character played by Hillary Swank (Maggie Fitzgerald) is a girl from Missouri, your average hillbilly, who has been a waitress most of her life and wants to get out of that lifestyle, the lifestyle of stealing leftovers for food, and getting paid minimum wage. She is convinced that boxing is that way out, and she goes to a respected, but whole-in-the-wall gym in Los Angeles, only to bug Frankie until he trains her. Soon enough she definitely wasn't the one doing the begging.
He is not optimistic by the idea, considering she has been boxing for three years, and it doesn't show. Clint Eastwood did a wonderful job producing it, directing it, and playing one of the lead characters. His character brought together the seriousness of the movie, along with all the humor. It is a wonderful balancing act for Eastwood, and it works. The Good the Bad and the Ugly star marks this the 25th film he has directed, the 57th film in which he has acted, and the 21st he has produced. He is supported by Morgan Freeman, who is a former boxer, and janitor of the gym.
Morgan Freeman plays Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, a muse it seems like, to Fitzgerald. He is the one that taught her how to box, even though Dunn directly told him not to encourage her. He is half blind, and makes fun of himself for it, and is probably the wisest one in this movie, who's counsel will get you thinking. He is a character that demands respect in a quiet way, but when he is angered he is ferocious, the one scene in the movie that shows it anyway.
About the movie, it isn't a "boxing story," or anything of that sort. It is a movie about a father/daughter type relationship. It is a story about devotion, unconditional love, and strength. Later in the movie the characters battle something that I will not go into.
Million Dollar Baby was nominated for 7 AcademyAwards, but went home with four very honorary ones including: Best Motion Picture, Best Actress- Hillary Swank, Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Morgan Freeman, and Best Achievement in Directing.
It is definitely Oscar-worthy, but not the best film I have ever seen. It was a little long, and perhaps they could of spent a little more time on the moral of the movie, but it was a simple story of three people, two passions , one Million Dollar Baby.