"GIRLIE, TOUGH AIN'T ENOUGH"

By: B -- 2/14/05

It’s become obvious that Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is the “must-see” film of 2004, for a number of reasons. Critics love it, it’s the frontrunner for Best Picture and loads of moviegoers are calling it their favorite film of the year.

Even more interesting, there is a sizable camp that downright hates Baby. These cynics say it’s formulaic, predictable and overridden with clichés. The point is: everyone who cares about movies has a strong opinion about Baby. I am no different.

Million Dollar Baby is the best big-studio film of 2004. It’s a father-daughter relationship drama billed as a sports movie, deliberately paced and visually shadowy. Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank, boasting arms twice the size of mine) is an optimistic 31-year-old hell-bent on becoming a successful boxer. She begins training at a club owned by Frankie (Eastwood), a gruff old schooler spending his twilight years training boxers with his wise old sidekick Scrap (Morgan Freeman).

Frankie initially refuses to train Maggie on account of her gender, but relents at the end of the first act (signified with a handshake) once he notices her dedication. The final two-thirds of the movie show her ascension to the top of her sport and the unforeseen challenges that I'll politely leave out of this review.

The bond between the two protagonists is developed slowly but surely by both their shared desire to win and their need for a familial tie. Frankie is the father figure, undeniably supportive yet reluctant to show any outward emotions, and Maggie is a pathologically motivated humble sort with the requisite shitty upbringing. On the surface the character types may smack of familiarity, but the depth of each character (along with the brilliant performances) feels distinct and real.

Million Dollar Baby isn’t a think-outside-the-box movie; there is a certain formula it clearly abides by. There are certain scenes where you can sense the next step, and there are certain characters that do exactly what you’d expect them to do. Because of the slight formulaic leanings, Baby falls shy of a modern classic.

But really, it’s just shy. The character development is so deep, the story so developed and the performances so inspired that it stirs up raw emotions rarely felt at the cinema. I’d bet this will be the year’s favorite for countless moviegoers. No doubt, a must-see.

POP RATING: 9

CRITICAL RATING: 9

B’S RATING: 9

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