There are no words....

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 2005)

There are no words to describe my feelings about this film. From acting, storyline, dialogue, and character development, Million Dollar Baby is, simply put, unmatchable.
To begin with, the acting. Hilary Swank gives the single best performance of her career, even surpassing her last great turn in Boys Don't Cry. Taking a controversial character doing highly controversial things and making the viewer believe truly and wholly in what that character is doing is a task not easily accomplished. This performance is marked by simplicity and courage far out of the range out almost any other actor or actress working in Hollywood today. Clint Eastwood pulls a double-whammy here with not only the best film he has ever directed but also the best performance of his career. The rest have nothing on this film. His portrayal of a boxing coach with dark secrets has the viewer crying without even knowing why they are crying. Yearning so badly to know what his relationship with his daughter is but knowing that his character wouldn't even want the viewer to know is what makes his turn as the boxing coach so real and touching. Morgan Freeman also gives his best performance in a long time, possibly since The Shawshank Redemption. His character is more simple as far as the story goes, but is also the driving factor in the film. His performance, also, is one marked by subtlety. All three of these actors should see Oscar gold but one, Hilary Swank, will win without a doubt.
The visual aspect of the film is dark and gray, almost black and white at times, setting the mood expertly in what does not seem to be, but ultimately is a very dark movie.
Finally, the twist. Movies have certain rights. They can twist reality, accent reality, and portray reality. If a movie offends, that is OK because that is what it is allowed to do. Million Dollar Baby may offend some but for others it is not about whether you agree or disagree, it is about that character at that time. Maggie, having lost her ability to move from the waist down and a leg, makes the decision that she wants to end her life. If she were capable enough, she would do it herself but because she is not she recruits the help of Clint Eastwood's character. Some may agree with this decision, as I do, and others may be vehemently opposed. That is the right of the filmmaker.
Clint Eastwood and the fantastic script make for what is, ultimately, one of the best movies ever to make it out of a studio. 10/10