Feel the Fear...

Rating: 8/10 (18 July 2013)

So I've obviously been living under a rock. I had heard of Million Dollar Baby and its acclaim but luckily no one had spoiled the story for me. I went into this film thinking it was a story about a girl with a hard childhood, looking to get out some of their anger and challenge some sexist views along the way.. the ending would surely be some kind of world title. I was surprised.
Firstly, it became obvious in the first third of the film that the story's focus was not on the 'girl' but rather Clint Eastwood's 'Frankie'. Interestingly it wasn't told by Frankie and instead by the unmissable voice of Morgan Freeman as 'Scrap'. I have to admit that made me contemplate whether Frankie would make it to the end of the story but later realized that the character really wasn't articulate enough especially in the realm of feelings. I think that is really central to his character. He has all of this history, complicated relationships and fears, none of which he really has any idea of how to deal with. The story starts with him in this routine or rut - doing whatever possible to avoid his fears and seeking some sort of holy miraculous forgiveness for his past.
Then comes along Hilary Swank's 'Maggie'. Just being female is enough to challenge Frankie's equilibrium. She is unrelenting - calling him boss, asking him to train her and working out at his gym. Slowly, with Scrap's help, Frankie can't help be interested in this girl who, unlike him, is willing to do whatever possible to make her dreams come true. I think he realizes that she is exactly the opposite of him. Maggie faces her fears. She is challenged and has her setbacks and she just learns from them. Frankie respects this about her and wants to help her. His slowly starts to let go of his fears and, at Maggie's insistence, enters her into the title fight.
Unfortunately, Frankie's worst fears are realized when Maggie suffers terribly. She becomes a quadriplegic, bed ridden and, due to the lack of movement, develops bedsores resulting in leg amputation. Maggie then asks Frankie to end her life. This is Frankie's crossroads - does he look at Maggie and see someone who has tried, failed and now has to pay the ultimate sacrifice? Or does he see someone who has lived and been brave enough to face life's challenges, fight for their dreams and is ready to leave this earth content? I think in asking for him to take her life, Maggie helped Frankie to get his life back.