Grade:  A

Director:  Clint Eastwood		Released:  December 2004
Writer:  Paul Haggis, from F.X. Toole's stories		MPAA Rating:  PG-13
Players:  Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman		Running time:  137 minutes

Ratings System

Clint Eastwood is the shit.  Every decade or so he directs a movie starring Clint Eastwood which shows off the talents of both the actor and the director.  Check out the track record: Play Misty for Me (1971), Pale Rider (1985), Unforgiven (1992), and now Million Dollar Baby (2004).  He is iconic and legendary in the world of film.  His presence on screen is unsurpassed.  Presumably, that's not telling you anything you didn't already know.

Eastwood's performance in Million Dollar Baby is perfect.  In tone, it reminded me a lot of Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond.  The classic I'm-too-old-to-give-a-shit character that is so endearing.  Unlike Fonda's role however, Eastwood has a meatier character to dive into, and a couple gut-wrenching scenes to pull off.  The most amazing thing about Eastwood directing Eastwood is the even-handedness and control he exhibits.  His pictures don't become vanity projects.

The relationship between Eastwood's character and his priest is both hilarious and touching.  The guys who hang/work out at the gym are great.  Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank each contribute excellent performances.  You care about these characters because you like them.  You become invested in them, you are touched by their lives.  It's the best kind of character driven film, where the characters are written as real people, not quirky caricatures.  And Eastwood's direction brings it all to life in an unforgettable way.

I believe this to be the best picture of 2004.

- crocoPuffs