Jack: If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot. Miles: No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm l...
Jack: If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot. Miles: No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f*****g Merlot!
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Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman
Story: Ageing boxing trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) has never seized the opportunity of a title match for one of his fighters. Enthusiastic yet untrained Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) is a waitress with dreams beyond her 31 years. On the advice of his long time gym assistant Eddie (Freeman), Dunn decides to give her a shot…
Certificate: 12
Now the winner of four Oscars, Clint Eastwoods Million Dollar Baby certainly proved to be more than just an contender. Coming hot on the tails of his last directorial outing Mystic River, it's a somewhat smaller, yet equally captivating tale about love, loss and achieving ones dreams.
While initially looking like it's going down in the first, Eastwood slowly brings the character dynamics together to create a film about real relationships. Despite promising 'never to train a girl', he lets his guard down enough for Maggie to find her way into his heart as well as his ring. Swank delivers
a truly knockout performance as the trailer trash girl wanting to make something of her life. Her relationship with Eastwood is the films greatest strength. His daughter doesn't want to know him, her family doesn't believe in her. Their relationship blossoms due to the fact that they simply need each other. Freeman also shares some wonderful chemistry with Clint, with back and forths that cement the sense of their friendship as well as plumbing the painful depths of the past. It's true that Freeman drives the narrative with some voiceover work that echoes Shawshank, but when you need someone to tell a story and it all comes together so well then who better?
MDB doesn't scrimp on the fight scenes either. You'll feel every blow as Maggie finds her feet in the ring. When she gets hurt, it's nasty, especially in one squeamish sequence when her nose is broken. Thankfully the fights are short and sharp, with no jumped up promoters or flag waving to bog the story down. As Maggie slowly rises to stardom we never forget that she's doing it not for the money, but because it's the only thing she feels she really believes in. It's less a film about boxing then one about battling your own personal demons.
Then, just as the movie seems headed for the typical Rocky-style showdown; events take a dramatic turn and the last act heads off in an entirely different direction. To say anymore would ruin the experience, because the less you know about the film the better. It's at this point you realise how good the performances have been and how they've drawn you into the story. The film successfully side-steps cliché and schmaltz, and Clint certainly has the courage of his convictions. At turns moving, funny and shocking, Million Dollar Baby is a compelling, character driven drama which never pulls it's punches.
Visual and Audio
Lovely picture presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1. The coulours are particularly sharp, especially so in the fight scenes. The sound is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround with English subtitles optional. The sound is very good, again the standouts being the fight scenes where you can hear every resounding crunch. Overall it's a good transfer.
Bonus Material
Born to fight (19 mins)
This is the tried and tested DVD extra in which the cast talk to the camera before being repeatedly interrupted by footage of the film. While it's interesting to hear from the main players, it's ruined by the intrusive snippets of the film. Take that away and there's barely ten minutes of input here.
Producers Round 15 (13 mins)
Albert S Ruddy, Paul Haggis and Tom Rosenberg talk about the source material, conception of the project and how the ensemble came together. It's interesting but lacking depth and there's far too much backslapping going on.
James Lipton takes on three (25 mins)
Eastwood, Freeman and Swank chat to James Lipton, the guy Will Ferrell often lampoons on Saturday Night Live. It's the best extra on the disc as learn more about the film from the people that really matter. Lipton is his usual dull self, so much so that you'll wonder how much more fun it would have been with Will Ferrell at the table.
Overall
An engrossing drama with Eastwood, Freeman and Swank all at the top if their game. Shame about the extras though.
Million Dollar Baby is available in high street stores such as HMV, Virgin Megastore and Woolworths. It's also available to order online at reliable sites such as www.amazon.co.uk, www.play.com and www.cd-wow.com Prices vary from £11.99 - £14.99 so it's best to shop around.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Pat O'Connor - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over, 15 years and over - Starring: Geraldine O'Rawe, Colin Firth, Saffron Burrows, Minnie Driver, Chris O'Donnell
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Very well written review, I think you captured just what the film is about. I only recently watched the film on dvd because I was somehow put off by its boxing theme. But just like you say it's not so much about boxing at all but about fighting your own demons. Great film.
jade_in_nexus 16.11.2005 17:28
Excellent review! I loved this film too. Well worth a watch. It completely went beyond my expectations. Not just another boxing movie! Great job. Kim:)
liquidus1000 09.11.2005 10:58
I haven't seen this you made it sound quite good, I'll keep an eye out. Great review, (Though you accidently put "Eastman" towards the end LOL) Paul
Clint Eastwood's 25th film as a director,Million Dollar Babystands proudly ... more
withUnforgivenandMystic Riveras the masterwork of a great American filmmaker. In an age of bloated spectacle and computer-generated effects extravaganzas, Eastwood turns an eleg...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Clint Eastwood's 25th film as a director,Million Dollar Babystands proudly ... more
withUnforgivenandMystic Riveras the masterwork of a great American filmmaker. In an age of bloated spectacle and computer-generated effects extravaganzas, Eastwood turns an eleg...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon...
In the wake of a painful estrangement from his daughter, boxing trainer Frankie Dunn has ... more
been unwilling to let himself get close to anyone for a very long time - then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym. In a life of constant struggle, Maggie's gotten...
Advantages: Easy to follow plot and storyline; gets you thinking about life Disadvantages: Boring standard plot; some annoying characters; slow development
![Million Dollar Baby [DVD] [2005]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78484179.jpg "Million Dollar Baby [DVD] [2005]")
Jul 28th, 2005
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