Friday, Dec. 17, 2004
Million Dollar Baby
It starts as a comedy of frustration — Hillary Swank plays an aspiring but no more than promising female boxer proceeds to triumph — she gets her title shot — and ends in an unexpected tragedy. Director Clint Eastwood plays her manager, Morgan Freeman her corner man, and both match Swank's unimprovable performance. Some artists, as they age, strip their work down to a few very powerful essentials — austerity of means, direct and potent emotional honesty — and Eastwood here joins that rare company.