Film Snail

8.0

Million Dollar Baby

PG-13·2004·132m

Drama

Summary

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Cast

Clint Eastwood

Frankie Dunn

Hilary Swank

Maggie Fitzgerald

Morgan Freeman

Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris

Jay Baruchel

Danger Barch

Mike Colter

Big Willie Little

Lucia Rijker

Billie 'The Blue Bear'

Brían F. O'Byrne

Father Horvak

Anthony Mackie

Shawrelle Berry

Margo Martindale

Earline Fitzgerald

Riki Lindhome

Mardell Fitzgerald

Michael Peña

Omar

Benito Martinez

Billie's Manager

Bruce MacVittie

Mickey Mack

David Powledge

Counterman at Diner

Joe D'Angerio

Cut Man

Marcus Chait

J.D. Fitzgerald

Tom McCleister

Lawyer

Erica Grant

Nurse

Naveen

Pakistani

Morgan Eastwood

Little Girl in Truck

Jamison Yang

Paramedic

Dean Familton

Ref #1

Louis Moret

Ref #2

Vincent Foster

Ref #3

Jon D. Schorle II

Ref #4

Marty Sammon

Ref #5

Steven M. Porter

Ref #6

Ray Corona

Ref #7

Ming Lo

Rehab Doctor

Miguel Pérez

Restaurant Owner

Jim Cantafio

Ring Doctor #1

Ted Grossman

Ring Doctor #2

Ned Eisenberg

Sally Mendoza

Marco Rodríguez

Second (at Vegas Fight)

Roy Nugent

Fan in Vegas

Don Familton

Ring Announcer

Mark Thomason

Radio Commentator

Brian T. Finney

Irish Fan #1

Spice Williams-Crosby

Irish Fan #2

Kim Strauss

Irish Fan #3

Rob Maron

Irish Fan #4

Kirsten Berman

Irish Fan #5

Susan Krebs

Rehab Nurse

Sunshine Chantal Parkman

Rehab Nurse #2

Kim Dannenberg

Rehab Nurse #3

Eddie Bates

Rehab Resident

Jimmy Alioto

Las Vegas Fight Fan (uncredited)

Jason Williams

Las Vegas Fight Fan (uncredited)

Nina Avetisova

VIP Girl (uncredited)

Michael Bentt

Boxer (uncredited)

Bruce Gerard Brown Jr.

Boxer (uncredited)

McKay Stewart

Sparring Boxer (uncredited)

Jude Ciccolella

Hogan (uncredited)

Kimberly Estrada

Perez (uncredited)

Sean LoGrasso

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Sean O'Kane

Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)

Vladimir Rajčić

Yugoslavian Judge (uncredited)

Rosine 'Ace' Hatem

Maggie's First Opponent (uncredited)

Bridgett Riley

Maggie's Second Opponent (uncredited)

Boni Yanagisawa

Maggie's Third Opponent (uncredited)

Christina Cox

Maggie's Fourth Opponent (uncredited)

Mimi Lesseos

Billie's Opponent (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Clint Eastwood

Screenplay

Paul Haggis

Story

F.X. Toole

Reviews

Wuchak

December 19, 2018

***Female “Rocky” with a downbeat and contradictory close***

Released in 2004 and directed by Clint Eastwood, “Million Dollar Baby” stars Eastwood as a cantankerous boxing trainer who owns a working class gym in Los Angeles, which is maintained by one of his former boxers, the narrator of the story (Morgan Freeman). A waitress from the sticks of Missouri (Hilary Swank) shows up and asks that Frankie (Eastwood) train her, which he refuses to do because she’s too old at 32 and he “doesn’t train girls,” probably because he had an unexplained falling out with his daughter years earlier. Eventually he begrudgingly agrees.

The bulk of the film is basically a female version of “Rocky” (1976), except that I prefer the potent drama in this one. The three main characters are well fleshed-out with an all-around reverent tone, not to mention an occasional bit of mild amusement. Frankie and Maggie (Swank) slowly develop a father/daughter-type relationship and it’s touching.

The third act, however, takes a left turn that is seriously downbeat. It departs from sports movie formula with a message that contradicts everything the first two acts pushed, which is inexplicable. Sure, I ‘get’ the point: A certain person basically sacrifices everything to do what’s (supposedly) best for the situation and honor the will of a dearly loved soul. Nevertheless, it’s a dark turn that leaves a sour taste because it refutes the positive message of the first two-thirds of the story.

The film runs 2 hours, 12 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B-/C+