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 I
don’t know what’s more impressive; the fact that filmmaking legend
Clint Eastwood is still at the top of his game at the ripe old
age of 74, or the fact that a movie about a violent sport like
boxing could end up being such a tender emotional powerhouse.
Either way, the terrific “Million Dollar Baby” easily stands alongside
Eastwood’s 1992 Best Picture-winner “Unforgiven” as one of the
very finest of his career, not to mention being one of the best
movies of 2004.
What’s truly amazing
though is that “Million Dollar Baby” comes hot on the heels of
last year’s award-winning “Mystic River,” which he produced, directed
and composed the music for, but did not star in. Eastwood wears
all those hats and more for this “Baby,” in which he delivers
what just may be the most soul-bearing performance of his more
than 50-year career. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg in
a film that overcomes its somewhat cliched setup to triumph as
a beautifully-acted, poetically-written and brilliantly-directed
drama.
“Million
Dollar Baby” once again finds Eastwood playing the hard-edged
loner that he’s become synonymous with over the years. In this
case, he’s guilt-ridden Frankie Dunn, a lifelong boxing manager
and trainer who runs a dilapidated gym on the fringes of downtown
Los Angeles. He writes to his estranged daughter every week, only
to have his letters returned, stuffed under his front door. He
attends mass almost every day, but the forgiveness that he’s been
seeking for the past 23 years continues to elude him. His only
friend is Scrap (Morgan Freeman), a half-blind ex-boxer who’s
supposed to look after the gym, but spends more time looking after
Frankie.
Everything changes
when Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) walks through the door.
Determined to make it as a professional boxer, Maggie hangs around
the gym every day with hopes that Frankie will notice her, train
her and – most importantly – believe in her. Despite his initial
reluctance, he gives in, and they soon inspire each other in ways
that transcend the boxing ring. Frankie and Maggie find much professional
success while bonding over the sense of family that they’ve both
been longing for, but they soon find themselves faced with the
fight of their lives – a fight that will demand more heart, courage
and strength than either of them has ever known.
Perhaps the best thing
that can be said about Eastwood’s direction is how refreshingly
old-fashioned it is. Where other filmmakers try to prove themselves
with super-saturated special effects, flashy editing techniques
or gimmicks that are too clever for their own good, Eastwood’s
motive is to simply tell the story. That he does extremely well
with “Million Dollar Baby,” which is even more emotionally resonant
than last year’s triumphant “Mystic River.” The cinematography
has a moody, classic feel to it, the performances are allowed
to breathe, and the growing level of warmth, affection and respect
between Frankie and Maggie feels genuine and honest. All of this
is supported by Eastwood’s touching musical composition, which
deftly manages to accentuate the intimacy without manipulating
it.
But just when you
think you know where “Million Dollar Baby” is going, it takes
a sharp, unexpected turn that doesn’t pull any punches. For all
intents and purposes, the film could easily have turned out to
be a well-made version of “Rocky” with a woman, and that would
have been the end of it. All the elements are certainly there
– Eastwood’s gravel-voiced trainer isn’t a far cry from Burgess
Meredith’s Mickey, while Hilary Swank’s idealistic, sweet-natured
and loyal dreamer takes the place of Sylvester Stallone’s iconic
character. Yet it’s because these expectations and predictable
cliches are so firmly embedded in our minds that Eastwood’s abrupt
change in direction packs such a gut-wrenching emotional wallop.
Eastwood’s
biggest strength may be in telling the story, but that’s also
true of his talented actors. That’s certainly the case here, as
Hilary Swank delivers her first knockout performance since winning
an Oscar for 1999’s “Boys Don’t Cry.” Though she held her own
in 2002’s “Insomnia” supporting Al
Pacino and Robin Williams, her attractive, but not quite movie
star qualities have made it difficult for her to be cast in the
lead roles that usually go to an A-lister like Julia Roberts.
Not only does Swank make good use of her small-town accent, tough
stance and endearing drive, but her physically and emotionally
grueling performance could even land her another Best Actress
Oscar. (How ironic, since she could once again go up against Annette
Bening, the “Being Julia” star who lost to Swank five years ago
when she was nominated for 1999’s “American Beauty.”)
If Eastwood the director
has gotten more than his fair share of well-deserved praise over
the decades, the same can’t be said for Eastwood the actor, who
many argue plays different variations of the same character. While
that may be true for the most part, “Million Dollar Baby” finds
him digging deeper than ever before for the most vulnerable, moving
performance of his career. If he and Swank compliment each other
on a paternal and professional level, then he also has great chemistry
with his “Unforgiven” co-star Morgan Freeman, who delivers a powerful
performance as the film’s voice of reason. In addition, Freeman’s
soothing, poetic narration brings to mind his unforgettable narration
from 1994’s “The Shawshank Redemption.”
It goes without saying
that “Million Dollar Baby” is going to be tough to beat when all
the other Best Picture contenders step into the ring, but it’s
also safe to say that it easily stands alongside “Rocky” and “Raging
Bull” as one of the best boxing movies ever made. More than anything
though, it just goes to show you that as a director and as an
actor, Clint Eastwood isn’t getting older, he’s getting better.
And for someone who’s 74-years-old, that’s pretty damn impressive.
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