Be strong and see true greatness

Rating: 10/10 (2 August 2010)

I don't know how to start this review and I am not sure what to say. I have written reviews on other great movies. My review for The Shawshank Redemption poured out as smooth as heavy cream. Million Dollar Baby is as good as The Shawshank Redemption which I have watched over and over again, and is, in my opinion, the best movies ever made.
But I will never be able to watch Million Dollar Baby over and over again. I may watch it once every 10 years are so to reaffirm it's brilliance, it's depth and it's gut wrenching impact. I am sure I have never seen before or since such an emotionally powerful film. I avoid reading about films before I see them. I don't want to taint my first impression. I had heard it was very good and how could I go wrong with Eastwood, Swank and Freerman.
As I watched it, I was thinking it was better than Rocky, better than many many movies I had seen. I was especially impressed with Eastwood and thought it was one of the best performance I had ever seen by him - maybe the best.
Then I got to what you might call Act III. Hillary Swant's performance was brilliant: a complete fulfillment of all her potential. Clint Eastwood's performance was transcendent. It was greater than any performance I had seen by any other actor in film or theater. It was emotionally devastating. His actions reflected the greatest act of love I had ever come across in film, theater or fiction. What sacrifice could you make for love - even threaten your immortal soul and destroy your mortal heart? It is greater than The Shawshank Redemption but so much harder to watch. Greek or Shakespearian tragedy has nothing to equal it. Maybe nothing ever will.