The Best Film of Eastwood's Long Career

Rating: Null/10 (3 March 2005)

The first third of "Million Dollar Baby" plays out slow and indifferent. But through a series of poignant and insightful scenes midway through the film morphs into an emotional powerhouse. Traditionally, Eastwood was never able to construct great pieces of storytelling with great character acting. He only recently was able to assemble inspired pieces of narrative cinema with "Blood Work" and "Mystic River" but this film handily outshines them both. Pay attention to the back-story involving Eastwood's character's estranged relationship with his daughter and it amplifies the dramatic pull of his relationship with Swank's character. It's the best film Eastwood has ever been involved with. Ultimately, it's a must-see.