Million Dollar Baby [Blu-ray] [2017]

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.

I cant quite believe the review i read before this said it wasn't on the level of 'boxing movies like Warrior!'I mean really!! Warrior doesn't even compare asides of it being about fighting. Plus Warrior is MMA anyway. Don't get me wrong, i quite enjoyed it. However it's fundamentally utterly unrelatable. This is so emotionally raw and it certainly doesn't have a Hollywood ending. Freeman, Swank and Eastwood all work beautifully together. And if you are going to have any kind of voice over, Freeman is the only choice....he cemented that role for life in Shawshank.It will tear your heart out and leave you considering what really matters in life long after you've stopped watching.

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.

I really enjoyed ‘Gran Torino’ and had the same experience here. There’s something about Clint’s films that catches one’s imagination?The storyline is very good, if stretching things a bit far at times? The final fight scene for example, would be lapped up by ‘wrestling fans’ and for me was a bridge too far? Come on Ref,’ grow a pair, kick the cheating bitch out – surely Clint should have been able to take the ‘belt’ into the hospital for her? Oh and by the way, I have reported her mother for fraudulent welfare claims and it serves her right too!Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole film - it was one of those movies that keeps you engaged throughout, even if you had to smile at times at some of the goings on! Maybe it was a little over sentimental in places, but hay, some enjoy a weepy and clutching the tissues – sorry, I just need to blow my nose!Yes, the acting was great, though at times I struggled to pick up the dialogue, but as no else has mentioned this, perhaps it’s just me? God damn it, I am a crusty now don't you know!Any film that grabs you for the whole duration, is action packed, has a good script and a fascinating storyline, coupled with excellent acting and cinematography can only mean one thing – 5 stars! Well done the ‘Man with No Name!’

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