Million Dollar Baby (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max) (Netflix)

Initial release date: December 13, 2004

Studios: Warner Brothers/Malpaso/Lakeshore Entertainment

Tagline: 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.

Plot: Frankie Dunn is a veteran LA boxing trainer who keeps almost everyone at arm’s length, except his old friend and associate Eddie ‘Scrap Iron’ Dupris. When Maggie Fitzgerald arrives in Frank’s gym seeking his expertise, he’s reluctant to train the young woman, a transplant from working-class Missouri. Eventually, he relents, and the two form a close bond that will irrevocably change them both.

Cast

Clint Eastwood - Frankie Dunn

Hilary Swank (The Hunt) - Maggie Fitzgerald

Morgan Freeman (Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard) - Eddie Dupris

Jay Baruchel (How to Train Your Dragon 3) - Danger Barch

Mike Colter (Fatale) - Big Willie Little

Brian F. O'Byrne (My Salinger Year) - Father Hovak

Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) - Shawrelle Berry

Margo Martindale (The Kitchen) - Earline Fitzgerald

Riki Lindhome (Knives Out) - Mardell Fitzgerald

Michael Pena (Tom and Jerry) - Omar

Writer: Paul Haggis (The Next Three Days; creator of CWs Walker)

Director: Clint Eastwood

Rated PG-13 for violence, some disturbing images, thematic material and language (132 min)

‘Million Dollar Baby’ is a boxing feature film that has heart, emotion and great characters.

Clint Eastwood shows that he can almost direct anything. Over the years, he has directed action, westerns and memorable dramas. Here, he shows that can create a truly inspirational, yet moving boxing/sports film. In fact, this film is almost even more inspirational than ‘Rocky.’

“Million Dollar Baby’ is also a really moving picture. Some of the scenes with Eastwood and Hilary Swank can be rather touching, especially when his character eventually warms up to training her and sees that she has what it takes to take on the women's boxing world.

The scenes with Freeman and Eastwood are both moving and also entertaining. Just like a few moments they had in ‘Unforgiven,’ a couple of their moments can give you a little chuckle.

The emotional moments really kick in after a title fight goes wrong and Swank’s character is left with a broken neck and spine and is left paralyzed. From there on, there is a great deal of emotion.

If you’re looking for a feature that can be heart-felt and inspirational, then I suggest you check out ‘Million Dollar Baby.’ This Eastwood picture is currently available on HBO Max and Netflix.

Here are some interesting tidbits about ‘Million Dollar Baby’:

• Boxing and kickboxing champion Lucia Rijker, who also played the part of Billie ‘The Blue Bear’ in the movie, was Swank’s boxing coach.

• At age 74, Eastwood became the oldest Best Director Oscar winner for this movie.

• Stayed in the top five at the box office every weekend from the time it was nominated for Best Picture until after the Academy Awards.

• Hilary Swank underwent a serious training schedule to prepare for this movie. She gained nearly twenty pounds of muscle due to the workouts.

• The movie is based on three short stories from Jerry Boyd/F.X. Toole’s short stories: ‘The Monkey Look,’ ‘Million $$$ Baby’ and ‘Frozen Water.’

• Prepping and shooting this movie was so quick that Eastwood basically kept the same crew he used on ‘Mystic River.’

https://youtu.be/5_RsHRmIRBY