Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 American neo-noir sports drama film directed, co-produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood, and starring Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman.

Summary
A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional female boxer.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) It has some of the strongest and most amazing actings you’ll ever see in a movie, especially from Clint Eastwood, Hillary Swank, and Morgan Freeman.
 * 2) Likable, relatable, and interesting characters, like Maggie Fitzgerald and her dream, to become a professional boxer or a comic relief side-character named Danger.
 * 3) The cinematography is amazing and well-shot.
 * 4) Clint Eastwood has amazing skills as both an actor and as a director.
 * 5) The idea of a low-average woman eager to be a professional boxer is very original.
 * 6) Astonishing story and character development, especially from Frankie Dunn who went from a sexist, stubborn gym owner who doesn’t train girls to a caring and determined trainer and father figure to Maggie.
 * 7) The brief side plot of Morgan Freeman’s character, Scrap-Iron, trying to help a dimwitted gym member named Danger to fight in the ring at the gym is very memorable.
 * 8) The writing for this movie is beyond outstanding.
 * 9) The final act where Maggie has a brain injury and Frankie starts to grow concerned about her is very tear-jerking.
 * 10) It wouldn’t be a movie with Morgan Freeman in it without some of his great narrating.
 * 11) The ending where Frankie puts Maggie out of her misery by killing her is very heartbreaking, just as much to the opening Up.

The Only Bad Quality

 * 1) Maggie’s family is by far the worst part of the film as they care only about money more than her own health.

Reception
The film received critical acclaim. It holds a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 268 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Clint Eastwood's assured direction - combined with knockout performances from Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman - help Million Dollar Baby to transcend its clichés, and the result is deeply heartfelt and moving." It also has a score of 86 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 39 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".