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Not unlike Clint Eastwood if you think about it - and he
doesn't come with a label forewarning his best before date
either.
Unlike a lot of his peers, the multi-talented Eastwood has
embraced his age in recent years - he's played folks with
all the aches, bumps and memories of someone that age, from
ageing cowboys to the superannuated guy working the president's
security detail - and it's worked in his favour.
Some of the film's the Malpaso chairman has made since Dirty
Harry Callahan retired have been the finest efforts a hardtop's
played host to, and each new one he makes, we only seem to
anticipate that little bit more. "Million Dollar Baby" is
the latest wholly created Eastwood effort - and in short,
it's another solid effort - proficiently directed, punctiliously
written, lustrously performed.
On the surface, "Baby" projects itself as a simple boxing
story, the tale of an old time manager (Eastwood) that reluctantly
agrees to train a down-on-her-luck female (Hilary Swank) how
to swing like the best. That may be true for the first half
of the movie, but as we begin to get to know Frankie Dunn
- an emotionally closed, sour individual, whose become estranged
from his only daughter - and determined Maggie Fitzgerald,
an emotionally scarred hillbilly whose only happiness in life
comes from the knowing that she's a talent in the ring - we
realise the template's much more interested in lost souls
and fictive gallantry.
You've stepped into the wrong loungeroom if you're looking
for 'Rocky"; here you'll find a film that's not as concerned
about whether it's contender wins the fight, as long as she
does it with a friend by her side.
"Baby" does succumb to clichés in spots, does cop out on
some of the details too, but all in all this is a solid film
from start to end. Eastwood is his usual dependable solid
self, Swank is exceptionally memorable, and Morgan Freeman
(re-teaming with Eastwood, whom he worked on "Unforgiven"
with) is a welcome third-wheel as Scap, an ex-boxer who runs
Dunn's gym.
"Million Dollar Baby" is an absolute knockout - one of those
great films the likes of which you just don't see enough of
anymore. If Clint Eastwood is any indication - yep, guess
who was named after the matinee king? - it's far from time
to retire that bottle of wine just yet.
DVD Extras
Extras? Well, yeah there is, but sadly Mr Eastwood’s commentary
track is nowhere to be found. Instead, there’s a featurette
called “Born to Flight” about women boxers, “Producers Round
15” which chronicles the origins of the movie (predominantly,
how the book ‘Rope Burns’ was transferred to film), and James
Lipton (the chap from ‘Inside the Actors Studio’) interviews
Eastwood, Freeman and Swank – probably the most entertaining
supplementary feature.
A special edition can only be around the corner, right?
Conclusion: Movie 85% Extras: 60%
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