This movie is about the meaning of LIFE

Rating: 10/10 (7 April 2005)

Once again, Clint Eastwood did it. 'Million Dollar Baby' has proved to be an overwhelmingly powerful film. Because of this movie, Hilary Swank won her second Academy Award after winning an Oscar for her role in 'Boys Don't Cry' five years ago. Also, Morgan Freeman finally won the same award for Best Actor in a Supporting role, which is well-deserved. I cannot help mentioning Eastwood's previous work 'Unforgiven' and 'Mystic River'. I think he is a brilliant film director.
Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) is a 31-year-old waitress who aspires to become a professional boxer, despite her age. She finds Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), a boxing trainer with a fine reputation and who runs a boxing gym, hoping he will help her. But 'I don't train girls', says he.
Notwithstanding the fact that he has turned Maggie down, she goes to the gym everyday to practise on her own, even though she doesn't know how to do it right at all. Her strong will somehow impresses Scrap (Freeman), an assistant and caretaker at the gym, a former boxer who loses an eye during a boxing fight. He starts to encourage Maggie and teaches her some basic things. Eventually, Frankie decides to train her, out of her amazing will power. Maggie trains intensively, because THIS is her dream, her only pursuit, she wants to get there, and in the end, she does get there...
Within a couple of years, Maggie is ready for fights. She is indeed a natural, and it is owing to the fact that she works so very hard. Even though at times she has to confront tougher boxers, she makes it anyway. She never backs down. She becomes rich and famous, and she firmly believes her achievement would make her family proud. Now what she wants to do is to take good care of her family.
But her nearly penniless mother despises her, because she thinks being a female boxer is simply ridiculous. She is 'ashamed' of Maggie, laughs at her, and her other family members are totally indifferent.
By then Maggie and Frankie have developed a father-daughter relationship. As a matter of fact, the relationships between Maggie, Frankie and Scrap are quite intriguing. This picture portrays their interaction perfectly.
'Millon Dollar Baby' strikes you when it's least expected. There are many points which leave you wonder: what price dreams? What do you live for? For basic survival or for reaching your goal, so you can be your true self? Are you willing to pay for it? No matter what? And what is LIFE about? If you had seen the film, you would understand what I'm talking about.
Maggie has a family who takes her for granted, and Frankie has a daughter who never sees him, who always ignores his letters. In the end, all they've got is each other, but after all they have gone through, after all the respect Maggie gains (Scrap says 'Boxing is about respect. You win respect and take respect from the other guy) and Frankie's being so proud of her, they have to lose each other.
This film makes people think. Deeply. This year's Academy Award Best Picture nominees are all good, I have seen all of them, but I would vote for 'Million Dollar Baby' without any hesitation.