She does that in order to die from blood loss. However, Frankie refuses, which leads to Maggie biting her tongues every so often. She says that she got everything out of life that she wanted. Maggie asks Frankie for a favor: to help her die. Over time, she starts to develop bedsores which eventually leads to her infected leg getting amputated. The undertone of religious and spiritual conflict may be too much for some viewers.Ĭast: Frankie Dunn: Clint Eastwood Maggie Fitzgerald: Hilary Swank Scrap: Morgan Freeman.After the fight with “The Blue Bear” leaves Maggie quadriplegic, she becomes a ventilator-dependent patient. Reviewer’s Note: One scene has a priest who curses outside his church.
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, some disturbing images, thematic material and language. Mike Parnell is pastor of Beth Car Baptist Church in Halifax, Va. His troubled soul, played close to the bone, moves us and makes for a truly moving movie. In the midst of Eastwood’s trim style is the struggle of a man who wants absolution from his guilt and sin-but always seems to draw the short stick. His actors waste nothing, helping make his movies so vital.
#MILLION DOLLAR BABY SYNOPSIS FULL#
We see that here his shots are full of meaning. Eastwood adopted this style of moviemaking, which means he doesn’t waste a moment. Siegel was a no-nonsense director who believed in getting the shot quickly and moving on. She lives, metaphorically speaking, in a dark tunnel, but Frankie and boxing are part of the light that can lead her out.Įastwood directs this movie, having learned his craft from Don Siegel (director of “Dirty Harry” and several other Eastwood starrers). She tells her boss it’s for her dog, but he knows and we know.
She must take leftover food from the plates of customers she serves as a waitress. Hilary Swank plays Maggie as the same kind of person. Little may be different, but Eastwood embodies so well those who have been chewed up by life like bubble gum. Many will see Eastwood here and wonder what is different from any other Eastwood role. Frankie’s struggle of guilt and faith is an important subtext of the movie, which is not just “another sports movie” or another “Rocky.”Ĭlint Eastwood plays Frankie in the same way he plays William Muny from “Unforgiven.” A weariness on his face speaks to the weariness of living. “Million Dollar Baby” may superficially seem like a Lifetime movie, but there is more going on here. This match changes Maggie and Frankie-and it changes the movie. The constant winning pushes Maggie into a bout with the champion, who is known to cheat. Frankie gives her only two rules: Ask no questions, and protect yourself at all times.
She quickly becomes a monster in the ring, generally knocking out each opponent in the first round. Scrap tries to help her, and as time passes, Frankie’s resistance wanes and he begins to train Maggie. He tells her he doesn’t train girls, but she is determined. Frankie does nothing but discourage Maggie.
When Scrap cleans up the gym Frankie owns, in walks Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a hillbilly girl who waits tables and dreams of being a boxing champ. Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is a pastor’s nightmare: He attends every service, pays attention to what is said, and asks questions about the faith so tough they can make a priest curse.įrankie is also a part of the sweet science called boxing, and we hear his story told by an old boxer named Scrap (Morgan Freeman).