The 2005 Oscars were swept by #MillionDollarBaby. It won not only Best Picture but also Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Director. Based on a book by #FXToole, this film stands out for how each of the three lead characters are visualised and developed. I consider it a masterclass of how character development is the key lever in story-telling.
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews the #NetflixIndia film #MillionDollarBaby directed by #ClintEastwood. The film also stars #HilarySwank and #MorganFreeman. This is the story of two seventy-year-old men and one thirty-one year-old woman. Watching two of our modern greats #Eastwood and #Freeman in the same movie is an absolute delight! Please be prepared for Spoilers though as writing about the film is almost impossible without reference to both the glory and the pathos.
Frankie Dunn (#ClintEastwood) is a cantankerous trainer who manages the HitPit gym in LA. He has been abandoned by the prospect he wanted to take to a title fight. Frank meets up with a scrappy kid Maggie Fitzgerald (#HilarySwank), a struggling waitress itching to learn boxing. The story is narrated in his own inimitable style by Eddie Dupris (#MorganFreeman). “If there is magic in boxing, it is the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance” he says in the beginning, setting the tone for the story ahead.
#ClintEastwood with his weather-beaten face and slit-like eyes remind you of the #DirtyHarry days. He plays Frankie whose life revolves around the boxing ring. He writes to his estranged daughter every-day only to receive the letters back. He also attends mass every day and irritates the priest with questions regarding theology. The film opens with him refusing to coach Maggie because “he doesn't coach girlies”. The transformation from a man who remains stoic and is not inclined to show his emotions to sitting at Maggie’s bedside and beyond is simply stellar. Frankie can think nothing about restoring a broken nose back in place and urging his protege to go back and fight before the ring doctor steps in to stop the fight. The same man beats himself up for the plight that Maggie ends up in.
On the other hand, there is Eddie (#MorganFreeman) who has an obvious soft corner for Maggie but will never bring in emotion into his narrative. His lines are absolutely fantastic as he plays on the words linking boxing to life. “Everything in boxing is backward. Sometimes the best way to deliver a punch is to step back”. He stands resolute as the man observing all the goings-on and is totally frugal with his emotions.
I found the underlying humour and wit in the interactions between Frankie and Eddie as one of the best parts of the film. It is subtle, intelligent and empathetic. And touches your heart.
And finally, there is Maggie (#HilarySwank) who has an unsupportive family and dreams of triumph on a boxing ring in her heart. Just like the sign at the gym that reads “Winners are simply willing to do what losers won't”, Maggie will go to any extent to achieve her goal. Her conquests in the ring and her knock-out fights are almost comical and the blink-and-you-miss punches are such a small part of what is essentially a film around boxing. Her expressive face reflects her joy and pride as she gets Frankie to be her “boss” and help her win. She talks about her daddy and says “I’d fight my way into this world, and I’d fight my way out”
I would be unfair if I did not call out the fantastic cinematography by #TomStern as he plays around with darkness and lighting, The emphasis on the drama becomes apparent when some of the characters emerge out of the shadows to complete their dialogues. For Maggie, “it is the magic of risking everything about a dream that nobody sees except you”
And finally, the unexpected turn of fortunes really caught me blindsided. #MillionDollarBaby is not just a story of sporting triumph; it is the story of standing up for your dreams and going out on a limb. In many ways, it is the quintessential American dream. Ten days of glory can be much much more significant than hundred days of an ordinary life! As for Frankie, it is a different story. In the words of Eddie “I just hope he found a place where he could find a little peace. A place set in the cedars and oak trees. Somewhere between nowhere and goodbye”
