formulaic and self-indulgent

Rating: 3/10 (15 March 2005)

While this comment goes against the tide of popular opinion, I believe that "Million Dollar Baby" is tediously self-indulgent and formulaic. From the opening moments of this overly-long, predictable movie, the audience is presented with one clichéd situation after another - in fact towards the end of the film, one can practically see the kitchen sink descending! Many of the characters are nothing more than stereotypes - particularly the boxer's trashy and unscrupulous family.
Swank's acting skills cannot be faulted, but one becomes very tired of Eastwood's deeply soulful gazes, as he metamorphoses from an impatient curmudgeon, reluctant to undertake the training of a "girlie" boxer to a deeply caring father-figure.
None of the characters is explored in depth. Instead we have hackneyed situations, inducing a strong sense of deja vu. Haven't we encountered these themes and these character types in one form or another before? Morgan Freeman is an extremely capable actor, but hasn't he assumed a similar persona in many other films? "Shawshank Redemption" comes to mind, for a start.
I realize that "Million Dollar Baby" will have much popular appeal, since the film demands no challenging cerebral activity from its viewers, but instead shamelessly manipulates their emotions. For my part, I found the movie to be a nauseating concoction of schmaltz, political correctness and predictability.