Drama

Million Dollar Baby

- Beyond his silence, there is a past. Beyond her dreams, there is a feeling. Beyond hope, there is a memory. Beyond their journey, there is a love.

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Release Date : 2004-12-15

Language :EnglishIrish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Lakeshore EntertainmentMalpaso ProductionsEpsilon Motion PicturesASR ProductionsWarner Bros. Pictures

Production Country : SwitzerlandUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Frankie Dunn

Original Name : Clint Eastwood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maggie Fitzgerald

Original Name : Hilary Swank

Gender : Female

Character Name : Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris

Original Name : Morgan Freeman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Danger Barch

Original Name : Jay Baruchel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Big Willie Little

Original Name : Mike Colter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Billie 'The Blue Bear'

Original Name : Lucia Rijker

Gender : Female

Character Name : Father Horvak

Original Name : Brían F. O'Byrne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shawrelle Berry

Original Name : Anthony Mackie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Earline Fitzgerald

Original Name : Margo Martindale

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mardell Fitzgerald

Original Name : Riki Lindhome

Gender : Female

Character Name : Omar

Original Name : Michael Peña

Gender : Male

Character Name : Billie's Manager

Original Name : Benito Martinez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mickey Mack

Original Name : Bruce MacVittie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Counterman at Diner

Original Name : David Powledge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cut Man

Original Name : Joe D'Angerio

Gender : Male

Character Name : J.D. Fitzgerald

Original Name : Marcus Chait

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lawyer

Original Name : Tom McCleister

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Erica Grant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pakistani

Original Name : Naveen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Little Girl in Truck

Original Name : Morgan Eastwood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paramedic

Original Name : Jamison Yang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #1

Original Name : Dean Familton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #2

Original Name : Louis Moret

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #3

Original Name : Vincent Foster

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #4

Original Name : Jon D. Schorle II

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #5

Original Name : Marty Sammon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #6

Original Name : Steven M. Porter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ref #7

Original Name : Ray Corona

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rehab Doctor

Original Name : Ming Lo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Restaurant Owner

Original Name : Miguel Pérez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ring Doctor #1

Original Name : Jim Cantafio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ring Doctor #2

Original Name : Ted Grossman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sally Mendoza

Original Name : Ned Eisenberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Second (at Vegas Fight)

Original Name : Marco Rodríguez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fan in Vegas

Original Name : Roy Nugent

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ring Announcer

Original Name : Don Familton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Commentator

Original Name : Mark Thomason

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irish Fan #1

Original Name : Brian T. Finney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irish Fan #2

Original Name : Spice Williams-Crosby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Irish Fan #3

Original Name : Kim Strauss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irish Fan #4

Original Name : Rob Maron

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irish Fan #5

Original Name : Kirsten Berman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rehab Nurse

Original Name : Susan Krebs

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rehab Nurse #2

Original Name : Sunshine Chantal Parkman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rehab Nurse #3

Original Name : Kim Dannenberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rehab Resident

Original Name : Eddie Bates

Gender : Male

Character Name : Las Vegas Fight Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Alioto

Gender : Male

Character Name : Las Vegas Fight Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Jason Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : VIP Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Nina Avetisova

Gender : Female

Character Name : Boxer (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Bentt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boxer (uncredited)

Original Name : Bruce Gerard Brown Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sparring Boxer (uncredited)

Original Name : McKay Stewart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hogan (uncredited)

Original Name : Jude Ciccolella

Gender : Male

Character Name : Perez (uncredited)

Original Name : Kimberly Estrada

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fight Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Sean LoGrasso

Gender : Male

Character Name : Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Sean O'Kane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Yugoslavian Judge (uncredited)

Original Name : Vladimir Rajčić

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maggie's First Opponent (uncredited)

Original Name : Rosine 'Ace' Hatem

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maggie's Second Opponent (uncredited)

Original Name : Bridgett Riley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maggie's Third Opponent (uncredited)

Original Name : Boni Yanagisawa

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maggie's Fourth Opponent (uncredited)

Original Name : Christina Cox

Gender : Female

Character Name : Billie's Opponent (uncredited)

Original Name : Mimi Lesseos

Gender : Female

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***Female “Rocky” with a downbeat and contradictory close*** Released in 2004 and directed by Clint Eastwood, “Million Dollar Baby” stars Eastwood as a cantankerous boxing trainer who owns a working class gym in Los Angeles, which is maintained by one of his former boxers, the narrator of the story (Morgan Freeman). A waitress from the sticks of Missouri (Hilary Swank) shows up and asks that Frankie (Eastwood) train her, which he refuses to do because she’s too old at 32 and he “doesn’t train girls,” probably because he had an unexplained falling out with his daughter years earlier. Eventually he begrudgingly agrees. The bulk of the film is basically a female version of “Rocky” (1976), except that I prefer the potent drama in this one. The three main characters are well fleshed-out with an all-around reverent tone, not to mention an occasional bit of mild amusement. Frankie and Maggie (Swank) slowly develop a father/daughter-type relationship and it’s touching. The third act, however, takes a left turn that is seriously downbeat. It departs from sports movie formula with a message that contradicts everything the first two acts pushed, which is inexplicable. Sure, I ‘get’ the point: A certain person basically sacrifices everything to do what’s (supposedly) best for the situation and honor the will of a dearly loved soul. Nevertheless, it’s a dark turn that leaves a sour taste because it refutes the positive message of the first two-thirds of the story. The film runs 2 hours, 12 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles. GRADE: B-/C+

r96sk

@r96sk

2022-02-09

Unreal! I didn't expect 'Million Dollar Baby' to be so astonishingly brilliant. I've said it many a time before but for full context, I do not read up about films before watching them - aside from making sure the film isn't part of a franchise, checking the run time and seeing the genre - so I was expecting this to be a cliché-filled, but still great, sports flick. It's so much more than that. It's way more deeper and has an everlasting impact that I hadn't anticipated. Even across the opening chunk I was predicating the obvious cliché ending, but as the film progresses and, especially, as the final portion rolls around it just absorbed my total attention - I was fully engrossed... hook, line, and sinker. Some film! The cast are simply stunning. Clint Eastwood gives an absolutely fantastic performance, Hilary Swank is truly sensational - especially at the end, damn - and Morgan Freeman is Morgan Freeman; what an actor and what a voice, using him as narrator was a great move. Elsewhere, and though less dramatically, Jay Baruchel, Anthony Mackie, Margo Martindale and Michael Peña also feature interestingly. It's quite the journey the film takes you on, which I just found utterly enthralling to watch unfold. Perfect pacing, perfect acting. I loved watching every second of it and will undoubtedly be revisiting it. I noted days ago that I was rather surprised to learn that Eastwood's 'Unforgiven' had been so heavily acclaimed, on this occasion with this 2004 film I am the complete opposite. I don't care much for awards et al., but I am delighted to see all involved receive their props for this. Chapeau! Marvellous, just marvellous.

The Movie Mob

@mooney240

2022-11-23

**Million Dollar Baby is an extremely well-done film that takes an abrupt turn to deal with incredibly sobering subjects that are definitely not what I thought I signed up for.** I know it’s supposedly a masterpiece, and I will lose some cred for saying this, but Million Dollar Baby was a dreadful movie. I spent the first half of the film falling in love with the hopeful, talented, and inspiring Maggie Fitzgerald and her redeeming of the cranky and lonely trainer, Frankie Dunn. But when the second half takes its giant turn, the story shifts from an endearing sports narrative about overcoming opposition and redemption to hopelessness and agony. Clint Eastwood directed a powerful story with impressive mastery, but the subject matter robbed the film of any enjoyment. For many, Million Dollar Baby deserved Best Picture at the Oscars. For me, I wish The Incredibles had claimed that victory.