Million Dollar Baby

Could this be Clint Eastwood's best movie...well that's what some critics say. What do Unforgiven, Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby have in common other than the fact that they are all Clint Eastwood movies. Well it would be the slow relaxed pace which would incite certain quarters of the audience(probably the MTV generation) to describe these movies as being boring and monotonous. Well it would be harsh definitely, considering all 3 movies are examples of great filmmaking,..and the academy itself(though it means very little these days) has acknowledged that. I am not a big fan of Clint Eastwood movies,cause as much as i acknowledge the great art of his movies, i can't bing myself to completely love them. Maybe it has to do with his trademark directing style which often feels laidback and sedated. Anyway,..back to the movie in question,...Million Dollar Baby is a movie filled with great performances from its lead and supporting cast. Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hillary Swank all shine magnificently in their roles. This movie isn't like Rocky,..but ofcourse you all know that..i hope. The basic plot of the movie is Swank, a 32 year old waitress in poverty who dreams of becoming a boxing champion with the purpose of making something out of her life. She persuades Eastwood to train her, and after his initial refusal to do so,..her steely determination convinces him to give her a chance.The final act of the movie moves into more dramatic terriotory moving away from the high action boxing(well choreographed) that makes up the middle portion. At the end of the day, Million Dollar Baby is an excellent movie, quite possibly the best movie of 2004 and it probably deserves its Oscar. But due to the nature of the film, its by no means my favourite.