The Manrilla Blog | Life. Art. Religion. Culture.

Million Dollar Baby is one of the great movies. I can say that for a fact. I’m still wiping tears from my eyes 30 minutes after having walked out of the theatre into a cold, windy pre-sping night. Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank should all by lauded for their performances. The camera man and lighting people should be awarded as well. The movie is beautifully shot. As a matter of fact just about everything in Million Dollar Baby is beautiful even if it’s in a bittersweet way. Though you may (and believe me, you may) walk out of the theatre with wet streaks running down your cheeks it is sweet none the less. I have few things in common with the main characters in the movie. I have no family of my own that I’ve started. I have not lost a son or a daughter. The closest thing is that I dabbled in boxing briefly. But one of the things I loved most was how the movie engages you; it’s not necessary to have all those things in common with those characters to share in their wins, their loses. Their victories and defeats. You absolutely must see this film before it leaves the theatre. It’s one of those movies that should be seen in a dark theatre. Mr. Eastwood, Mr. Freeman and Ms. Swank (and all cast & crew) take a well deserved bow.