Million Dollar Baby (Steelbook) (Blu-ray) [2004]

Clint Eastwood has given us such great films over the years and there will never be another one like him. This film is about boxing but its certainly no Rocky rubbish that's for sure. It's about a woman with nothing living on scraps of food left over at the dinner where she works and coming from a family who are happy living on the social hand outs. So she sees boxing as a way out of this unhappy world that she is in. So the story begins with" Maggie" going to" Frankie Dunn's" gym where he is assisted by an old boxer" Eddie Scrap Iron Dupris" .At first Frankie wants nothing to do with helping "Maggie" learn anything about boxing and tells her she is wasting her and his time. She does not take the hint and over time "Frankie" and "Maggie start on a journey where they become like father and daughter as "Maggie" starts to enjoy a successful career in boxing. She gets a world title shot which is what she has always dreamed of. I won't tell you anymore other than to say that you will be moved and no doubt cry at the end of this magnificent film, but that's okay it's what makes us human.

Clint Eastwood's stint as both an actor and director has been very uneven the last couple of decades, but in general I enjoy his late-career performances on screen such as Gran Torino, The Mule and Trouble With The Curve - there's something absorbing and intense about him in his heavily lined face as he ages. I'd say that his role here is slightly less interesting and a little more cliched and less nuanced than some of his better recent performances. The plot takes an unexpected turn (I won't say what) and the film ultimately isn't the straightforward story I was expecting but nevertheless felt a little hackneyed in some of its execution and stereotypes. It was worth watching, but not destined to be a classic or a film I would revisit again.

What can I sayAnother true story with clint Eastwood, Hilary swank and Morgan freeman absolute must film

Very good film recommend

There is nothing new here. Clint Eastwood is gritty character with a good heart. Morgan Freeman plays the support role well. Hilary Swank is great as an underdog who convinces the cynical Eastwood to train her to be a boxer.Swank is excellent as Maggie Fitzgerald, the waitress who is so poor she has to eat her customers leftovers. Boxing is her ticket out of poverty, and Swank plays the role with a balance of naivete and cold determination.Eastwood is Frankie Dunn, a veteran manager of boxers and owner of a boxing gym. Of course, he is reluctant to train Maggie at first but, as you would expect, he caves in (with some rules, of course). Dunn is a man who has seen it all - enough to know what to expect, and enough to know that regret and glory are both part of boxing.It is the usual tale of an underdog fighting to the top, but the key is in how the story is told. Characters you sympathise with and cheer for, though are still all too human. Like the best sports films, this is more than just a tale of the sport, it is a tale about people and what they do with their lives. It is about what it means to have a chance at glory, and what it means to fail and have regrets.Without giving away the ending, I found this a tough but absorbing watch. Even if you have no interest in boxing - I do not care for it as a sport - this is a film well worth your time. That is more than what you can say for other winners of the Best Picture Oscar.

The film starts slowly and despite reaching for the FF button on the remote, I stuck to my rule about giving a new movie 15 minutes before skipping forward. You need just over 2 hours clear to watch this powerful slow burner. The story develops and draws you further in and onto the dramatic twist and moving last scenes.Clint Eastwood has done a great job in the director's role and also is good as the lead charactor Frankie Dunn. Hillary Swank, as Maggie, who I hadn't seen that much before, turns in an amazing athletic, performance as the female pugilist and I really warmed to her despite not being sure about a film with women boxers in it. But it isn't really about boxing, it's about the two characters and how they develop and grow as their relationship develops. Frankie has a daughter who is estranged for some reason, and Maggie's father died when she was young. So they sort of fill in gaps for each other. Don't get the idea that it's all schmaltzy and sentimental though.Morgan Freeman narrates and also plays Frankie's partner 'Scrap' and he adds his fantastic presence and voice to the story.I won't say any more because you have to see the movie unfold to appreciate it, but safe to say there are some big questions to address which you don't see often in a mainstream film. All the characters work well together in this, which is a sign of a good director, and you will be left thinking about the movie after the credits roll.

A great film of determination acting as you would expect from the cast.I bought this film because it is such a good film I don't support women boxing but the portrayal of this young lady supercedes this, gourage and great determination to the end.I don't often leave reviews but in this case it's expectional