Million Dollar Baby

[Brian in Mesa]

Million Dollar Baby

Release Date: December 15, 2004 (limited; wide release: January 21, 2005)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: Paul Haggis
Genre: Drama
Website: Million Dollar Baby

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman


Plot Summary: In the wake of a painful estrangement from his daughter, boxing trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) has been unwilling to let himself get close to anyone for a very long time – then Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) walks into his gym. In a life of constant struggle, Maggie's gotten herself this far on raw talent, unshakable focus and a tremendous force of will. But more than anything, she wants someone to believe in her.

 

[O]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this movie.

 

[mdamien13]

I just saw this on Friday night.

What an amazing movie! It honestly took me by surprise even though I had heard so many good things about it. IMO, this is Clint Eastwood's best movie. His direction is awesome. His performance is gut wrenching and moving. Hillary Swank is awesome as well. Morgan Freeman is his usual solid self. This is my pick for Best of 2004 (even if it didn't get released wide till 2005).

Highly recommend!

 

[Chaplin]

I just saw this on Friday night.

What an amazing movie! It honestly took me by surprise even though I had heard so many good things about it. IMO, this is Clint Eastwood's best movie. His direction is awesome. His performance is gut wrenching and moving. Hillary Swank is awesome as well. Morgan Freeman is his usual solid self. This is my pick for Best of 2004 (even if it didn't get released wide till 2005).

Highly recommend!

Couldn't put it any better.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Saw this today....best movie of the year in my opinion, at least from the ones I've seen.

Definitely had a "Mystic River" feel to it...Morgan Freeman was amazing, Swank awesome and Eastwood perfect...

I loved it...

Mike

 

[Cheesebeef]

wow - I guess I'm the only person in America who thought this movie was about the most OVERRATED movie of the year. Thirty minutes in I was checking my watch and the second (SPOILER!!!!!!!) a certain characteristic is revealed about who Swank ultimately will need to fight, the entire movie just became the most drwan out predictable piece of over-dramatic, pull at your heart strings garbage that I've seen all year.

Performances were decent - but nothing that blew me away.

Best movie of the year - hands down was Sideways - it's easy to pull on heartstrings as an actor with draatic material - but it's MUCH harder to do so while in the middle of a comedy. Eastwood getting the nod over Giammati in the Best Actor category is a complete joke as well IMO.

BUT - as a tidbit! If you look over Clint's shoulder throughout the fight where he has to break Swank's nose back in - I make a cameo over and over again - yes - it was during my brief - in between jobs and out of unemployment slumming days as an extra(lord Kill me if I ever have to be on set as an extra again) - that was really the only time a smile came over my face. I forgot I worked that set.

Again - decent, predictable, overly dramatic and over-rated movie.

 

[nathan]

wow - I guess I'm the only person in America who thought this movie was about the most OVERRATED movie of the year.

Performances were decent - but nothing that blew me away.

Agreed.

 

[Chaplin]

I don't know how you could say Eastwood doesn't deserve recognition. He does stuff in this movie he's never done before as an actor. It very difficult for an older man like him to get a lot of genuine sympathy (rather than pity), but he generates sympathy amazing well in the film.

 

[Pariah]

If it weren't for the award recognition this movie is receiving, I wouldn't have even rented it. I'll probably go see it in the theaters now, but I'm a little weary about it. It just doesn't seem too compelling.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't know how you could say Eastwood doesn't deserve recognition. He does stuff in this movie he's never done before as an actor. It very difficult for an older man like him to get a lot of genuine sympathy (rather than pity), but he generates sympathy amazing well in the film.

it's funny Chap - but what you wrote above IS EXACTLY what has confounded me so much when reading ANY and EVERY review of this flick. Eastwood's best performance - something he's never done - well color me unimpressed. He was god in it - but the movie - TO ME - just felt so manipulative in tugging on the old heartstrings. Maybe I just heard to mcuh about it before I saw it - but I still Giammati was jobbed in this area.

Again, it's much easier IMO to play drama than it is to absolutely NAIL comedy and drama at once. Paul was the heart and soul of one of the best comedies and, hell movies, I've seen in years. I just think he got jobbed.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Just plain awesome.

 

[CardFan67]

Caught this one on cable this weekend, thought it was pretty good.... I'd give it a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10... I had no urge to see it in the theater or rent it because, here at least, it was so damned over advertised... Every block on the radio and at least every other on television...

Worth a few hours if it's free...

 

[CaptTurbo]

I cry like a million dollar baby when I watch it.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

I cry like a million dollar baby when I watch it.

Yeah. I think it's a damned good movie. The cheap shot and the ensuing injury happens so unexpectedly. It all takes a turn for the worse in a split second. What a tragic story....