This is just Hollywood sentimental rubbish.

Rating: 3/10 (24 August 2008)

Million Dollar Baby does not solve any questions it presents. I can't believe it's in the top 250.
OK, where shall I begin? Well, for a start, it was incredibly predictable. Clint Eastwood plays one of the most clichéd characters ever. He's a tough man with a heart of gold. John Wayne anyone? Also, Hilary Swank was garbage in it. She was so wooden, and I didn't believe for a second she was a remotely good boxer. I hated it how she got all the good scenes instead of Morgan Freeman who was the only good thing about this film.
Paul Haggis is perhaps the most overrated writer in recent times. He uses such formulaic dialogue, it makes a Tarantino fan like myself vomit feverishly when I hear a line like "You're all I've got." There are tons of other examples but I can't remember them because I was so bored.
Also, it tries to do too much. It tries to deal with the father daughter relationship, Rednecks, euthanasia, how you have to take chances, how you shouldn't gamble etc. Never heard those issues being discussed before have we lades and gents? Especially not in one film. I can imagine Haggis at his typewriter thinking "How can I spread the plague of my crap TV writing to the wider audience? I know, I'll try to make a boxing movie, WITH A DIFFERENCE!! I'll deal with tons of issues to win the critics over." Sadly Paul, I'm not fooled.
I admit, the cinematography was good in the car scene where the light moves and you can't see their faces and stuff but this light dark thing didn't work for a lot of the film. There were countless scenes where a character stood with their head in darkness. That's not an overused technique is it? And the ending, oh God the ending was abysmal. For those who haven't seen it, let me just let you know it is predictable the second she gets knocked out by a one dimensional East German evildoer. Ahhhhh! I hate characters like that boxer. They don't exist in the real world and how the hell is she world champion? She would get disqualified for breaking the rules obviously. It's such a cop out from the idiot that is Paul Haggis of making poor innocent Hilary, who has just knocked like 20 people out with one punch (realistic huh?), get knocked out by a cheating communist bitch.
If only Pauline Kael was still alive and writing. I am certain she would have shown this film for what it is, sentimental garbage. She is famous for hating unrealistic idealism and that is exactly what this appallingly overrated film is about. R.I.P Pauline, one of the few critics who saw through the sad state of most Hollywood movies.