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Title: Million Dollar Baby (2004)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| 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 (as Brían O'Byrne) | |
| 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 (as Joe d'Angerio) | |
Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) wants Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her. At the outset, he flatly refuses saying he has no interest in training a girl. Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. Maggie's rough around the edges, but shows a lot of grit in the ring and he eventually relents. Maggie not only proves to be the boxer he always dreamed of having under his wing, but a friend who fills the great void he's had in his life. Maggie's career skyrockets, but an accident in the ring leads her to ask Frankie for one last favor. Written by garykmcd
It would be difficult to imagine a more perfect trio of performers the likes of Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman in their respective roles in the emotionally-charged "Million Dollar Baby."
My favorite scenes were the early sequences in which Maggie (Swank) visits the dowdy boxing gym and co-opts Eastwood's crusty boxing trainer Frankie into becoming her mentor. Along with the veteran, retired boxer Eddie, played by Freeman, the performances were as electric as the Ali shuffle.
In the overall arc of the story of "Million Dollar Baby," there were three extraneous subplots: (1) Frankie's visits to church and his talks with the priest; (2) the story of the mentally-challenged young man named Danger, who appears in the gym and is taunted by the boxers; and (3) Maggie's family members introduced in two scenes filled with such vulgarity that much of the film's hard-earned credibility was lost. Not only would the film have worked effectively without the subplots, it would have been a much better film without them.
While Eastwood's direction was superb, much credit should also go to the designers, especially the stylish work with lighting. I cannot recall a film as dimly lit as this one, and the subdued lighting contributed substantially to the characters and mood evoked in this sensitive film. The three main performances were standouts. But this film was also a very successful team effort.