Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby is ranked #149 on our list and that’s about where it belongs.

I found myself frustrated for the last 30 minutes or so of the movie.  I knew I was supposed to cry and that the whole story was sad, but I couldn’t.  I just…  I didn’t care about the characters enough.  This is even more upsetting when coupled with the realization that Toy Story 3 will make me cry like a 6-year-old girl whose older brother just poured 7up in her hair (shoutout to Rachel).  If I’m not attached to the characters, that’s not the sign of a great movie.  But where does the blame lie for that?

Is it the script?

Doubtful.  The storyline is compelling, with twists and turns, as well as a genuine progression of events.  Everyone’s motivations are understandable and out in the open, excepting Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank).  Her determination to escape from her family and her old life in order to do something new and different and her drive to excel are apparent.  They make sense.  But why boxing? All we get is her assurance that “this (boxing) is the only thing I’ve ever felt good doing.”

The dialogue itself works.  In particular, the relationship between Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) and Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman) is entertaining and provides a significant amount of insight.  They’re lovable.  It takes Clint Eastwood and makes him LOVABLE, while maintaining his requisite level of scary.

Is it the acting?

Maybe.  The acting is superb.  Eastwood and Freeman are exceptional.  (Did you expect less?)  Maggie’s family will make you hate them.  Seriously, my fists were clenched nearly every time they showed up on the screen.  Hilary Swank was OK.  Sorry, but I — yet again — disagree with the Academy.  Admittedly, I’ve never been a Hilary Swank fan, but I gave props to Kristen Stewart the other day and — trust me on this one — she ranks much higher on my list of ‘People Who Should Not Appear in Movies I Watch.’  She wasn’t bad by any means, but I do not understand how she won an Oscar for that performance.  If you can’t make me care about you enough to cry after all of that goes down, you did not earn an Academy Award.

Cinematography?  Directing?  Soundtrack?  Special Effects?

None of these things particularly lent to the movie.  However, none of these aspects detracted from the film either.  The camera shots and usage of the soundtrack and lighting are fairly traditional.  There are a few scenes with interesting lighting set-ups, most of them taking place in the gym.  Other than that, the technical aspects of the film are safe.  To be fair, the special effects are great.  Even today, there are too many movies with unbelievable blood.  The amount, consistency, color and behavior are all wrong.  In Million Dollar Baby, they got it just right.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie.  It was entertaining and told a new story.  However, I didn’t feel satisfied when the movie was over.  If you haven’t seen it, you probably should, but I don’t plan on running out and buying it on Blu-Ray or DVD.

Author	Script	Acting	Cinematography	Soundtrack	Directing	Special Effects	Overall
Ben	8	10	7	7	7	8	7.833
Marc	8	10	10	9	8	8	8.833
Jon	7	8	7	7	7	8	7.333