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Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Mackie, Jay Baruchel ... see more see more... , Mike Colter , Lucia Rijker , Brian F. O'Byrne , Margo Martindale , Riki Lindhome , Ned Eisenberg , Brian Finney , Ted Grossman , Bruce MacVittie , Tom McCleister , Marco Rodriguez , Spice Williams , Susan Krebs , Steven M. Porter , Miguel Pérez , Joe D'Angerio , Mark Chait , Michael Peña , Erica Grant , Mark Thomason , Kim Strauss , Benito Martinez , Jamison Yang , Ming Lo , V.J. Foster , Dave A. Powledge , Naveen , Bruce Forman , Morgan Eastwood , Dean Familton , Dr. Louis Moret , Jon D. Scholore II , Marty Sammon , Ray Corona , Jim Cantafio , Roy Nugent , Don Familton , Rob Maron , Kirsten Berman , Sunshine Chantal Parkman , Kim Dannenberg , Eddie Bates , Christina Cox

Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is a veteran boxing trainer who has devoted his life to the ring and has precious little to show for it; his daughter never answers his letters, and a fighter he's groome... read more read more...d into contender status has paid him back by signing with another manager, leaving Frankie high and dry. His best friend and faithful employee Eddie Dupris is a former fighter who Frankie trained. In his last fight, Eddie suffered a severe injury, a fact that brings Frankie great guilt. One day, Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) enters Frankie's life, as well as his gym, and announces she needs a trainer. Frankie regards her as a dubious prospect, and isn't afraid to tell her why: he doesn't think much of women boxing, she's too old at 31, she lacks experience, and has no technique. However, Maggie sees boxing as the one part of her life that gives her meaning and won't give up easily. Finally won over by her determination, Frankie takes on Maggie, and as she slowly grows into a viable fighter, an emotional bond develops between them. When a tragedy befalls one of the three characters, each comes to a decision that shows how the relationships in the film have changed them. Adapted from a short story by F.X. Toole, a former corner man with years of experience in the fight game, Million Dollar Baby also stars Morgan Freeman, Anthony Mackie, and Mike Colter. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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225 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 13 min.

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Release Date: December 15, 2004

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DVD Release Date: July 12, 2005

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Flixster Reviews (21,263)

  • FiLmCrAzY
    April 19, 2012
    FiLmCrAzY
    This is one of my favourite movies, i simply adore this movie!
    I've since this movie countless times and i think this is the first movie i watched that persuaded me to follow Clint Eastwoods career and try his other movies, which is one of the best decisions ive made!
    Its a class... read moreic, its powerful, emotional and just simply a tearjerker!
    With the talents of Eastwood mixed in with the talents of Freeman and Swank there isnt anything about this movie you Won't enjoy! Truly a phenomenal movie!
  • spielberg00
    November 16, 2011
    spielberg00
    Best Picture winner? I kind of wish that wasn't true. MILLION DOLLAR BABY, marking Clint Eastwood's 58th credited acting role and 25th feature film directing role, is just a typical underdog story, this time with an additional theme of sexism.

    The film was quite moving. I'l... read morel give it that. But the dialogue, performances, and energy given by nearly every single cast member were truly those of pure ridicule--and racism, if that! Next time I see an underdog-boxing flick, I won't necessarily expect ROCKY, but I'll expect better than this. It just looks like Eastwood left MILLION DOLLAR BABY without all the finishing touch-ups it needed to become a true Best Picture.

    Full review: http://wp.me/p1Urcx-sH
  • TheGame90
    September 18, 2011
    TheGame90
    A great movie. And a sad movie. Not what you think it is. Swank is great. Eastwood is great (behind and infront of the camera) and Freeman....he does his thing. I don't know about you people out there but I was touched by this film
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    August 12, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    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.

    Saw it again! 2004 Best Picture and well worth it! Superb Film! Probably Clint Eastwood's best directing yet. My opinion is that thi... read mores is Hilary Swank best performance ever so far, she did an amazing job not easy to top, I don't think there is any other actress that could have done a better job, is just hard to even imagine. Morgan Freeman did quite good as always and he also besides Eastwood and Swank won a Oscar for his astounding work.This is probably one of the best boxing movies of all-time, probably in the top 5 ever in cinema history. You better see this movie soon it's quite breathtaking and beautiful. This is in my favorite Top 20 films of All-time.

    From beginning to end, there is commentary by "Scrap"- Morgan Freeman's recognizable voice.

    Hillary Swank's character, Maggie, is a white trash 31 year old waitress in a diner. Clint Eastwood is Frankie, a boxing gym owner who has trained many promising fighters but has never been able to take them all the way to a title/money bout.

    Maggie decides to pursue her dream of becoming a boxer once she realizes she's in a real dead end situation. Frankie is skeptical about women fighters, tells Maggie she's too old to start training, and tells her he won't train her.

    Morgan Freeman's character is "Scrap", one of Frankie's ex-fighters. Frankie feels guilty because he didn't stop "Scrap" (Morgan Freeman) from fighting in his 109th fight. Scrap ignored Frankie's pleas to throw in the towel. It was in this fight, 25 years ago, that caused him to lose one eye and end his boxing career. This is how Scrap ended up being the caretaker to Frankie's boxing gym for many years. And this is why Frankie takes a "conservative" approach when training upcoming boxers. Although he's a top notch trainer; he's afraid to take them to the top where he's afraid of what comes with a loss. Thus, you see a boxer leave Frankie for a more aggressive manager.

    Maggie is extremely determined to prove Frankie wrong along with the rest of her family. Scrap continues to give Maggie pointers on how to improve and get better. Frankie is still unwilling to commit to become Maggie's trainer. After much persistence, not to mention on her 32nd birthday, Maggie gets Frankie to train her.

    We also see a minor back story of Frankie's estranged relationship to his daughter "Kate." We see a few shots of "return-to-sender" letters Frankie receives from his daughter. Apparently this has gone on for years. It's why Frankie goes to church everyday- out of past guilt we never actually learn specifically of.

    Maggie doesn't have a father, he died when she was young.

    Eventually the two come together realizing that the other can fill that void in their lives.

    A year and a half of training and many knock-outs later, undefeated Maggie wants to go for a world title championship in Las Vegas. Frankie is hesitant, not wanting her to get hurt.

    Maggie takes him to see her mother and sister who are very white trash and live in a trailer. Maggie surprises her mom with a new home just a mile away from their current trailer but her mom is pissed. If welfare finds out about the house she'll stop getting her checks.

    On the way back they stop at a roadside diner her father used to take her to. She tells loving stories about her father. She tells him about the time he put their ailing pet dog out of his misery. By the way, Frankie loves this diner's lemon maraigne pie . He contemplates buying the diner.

    Frankie finally decides that Maggie is ready for the next level. He sets up a fight against the British champion. Before entering the ring, he gives her a new fight robe with a Gaelic phrase on it. He won't tell her what it means. The crowd loves it and chants it as she enters the ring. (Important later) Maggie wins the fight which sets up a championship bout.

    In the championship fight, Maggie boxes against the current middle weight championship title holder. She is not only aggressive and tough but also fights dirty. During the first two rounds she pounds on Maggie while taking a couple of penalty points for two foul punches. The referee warns her that next time she will be disqualified. The next couple of rounds Maggie takes a different approach, advised by Frankie, and starts to break ground. She clearly is winning the fight and the crowd goes crazy. She goes back in and after a few punches and almost-a-knock-out later, her opponent struggles to her feet after 9 counts. The referee sends them back to their corner. Maggie turns her back and before she can reach her corner her opponent moves toward her while the referee isn't looking. She takes a deadly shot at the side of Maggie and sends her landing on her head on the corner stool, breaking her neck. Maggie suffers spinal neck injury that leaves her paralyzed for life.

    The last 1/4 of the movie is about euthanasia and human morals. Maggie is bed ridden for a long time and eventually has to have her leg amputated due to muscle atrophy and bed sores.

    Maggie's family arrives (but first spend a week at Disneyland) and try to get her to sign a power of attorney type document. Frankie is skeptical but they tell him to mind his own business. He leaves, disgusted at them. Maggie tells them to leave and that she never wants to see them again.

    She asks Frankie for a favor. She asks if he remembers the story she told him about her father and their dog. She no longer wants to live. She had her shot and wants to die remembering the crowd cheering her name. Frankie refuses.

    Later Frankie is awoken in the middle of the night. Maggie has bitten her tongue, hoping to bleed to death. The doctors save her and stitch her tongue back up. She rips the stitches out and tries it again. This time they cover her tongue so she can't get to it.

    Frankie now realizes how badly she wants to die and contemplates "slowly killing" her by letting her live or end her life while she is "living." Scrap tells him that most people die wondering "what if" and never having a chance at anything. He tells him that at least Maggie had her shot of a lifetime and is thinking "maybe I did alright."

    Frankie decides to fulfill her wishes and end her life. He walks into her room, unnoticed. He tells her what he's going to do and she can only smile. He tells her that the Gaelic phrase the crowds were chanting and on her robe meant "My Darling". He removes her breathing tube and injects her with adrenaline. She dies instantly.

    In the end of the movie we see Scrap writing a letter (to Frankies daughter) and we realize that the narration all along is this letter. He ends it along the lines of "...He never returned to the gym and I never saw him again. I'm sure he's somewhere between here and there but where ever he is, I'm sure he's doing just fine. I just wanted to let you know what kind of man Frankie was. I wanted to let you know what your father was like."

    The final shot is of Frankie eating pie at the diner that Maggie had taken him to. It is presumed he retired from running the gym and bought the diner, as he told Maggie he might like to do someday.
  • SajinPA
    July 8, 2011
    SajinPA
    Although in a different league to the conventional sports flicks, it occasionally muddles through some age-old-cliches and tear-jerking melodrama. Still, Eastwood's storytelling and top-notch performances, above all else, makes it a compelling watch.
  • murphmann93
    June 23, 2011
    murphmann93
    I agree when people say that this film was overhyped. At times you found yourself drifting away but you can't deny that Hilary Swank deserved her Academy Award for the portrayal of her character and Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood were also nothing short of outstanding. If you ... read morehaven't read the book, which when I watched this film I hadn't, you will be completely thrown off at how it ends. Completely don't expect that to happen and it does tear at your heatrstrings. Jay Baruchel played a hilarious role and I think it's his best film so far. You'd be wrong to judge this without watching it, which I did. I thought it would mainly be about boxing and how she became a champion, not like that at all. Shocking twist and incredibly poignant.
  • brownman83
    June 19, 2011
    brownman83
    I know most of my reviews consist of 10/10, but that's because I think lots of movies are excellent. And so is this one. By all means, one of the best films I have ever seen. Million Dollar Baby is more than just a film about boxing, it's about believing, never-giving-up, and the... read more harsh reality of life. And truly, life. Is hard. The film has so many memorable moments. The acting, the directing, the story is all spectacular. Ive never seen a film like this. Million Dollar Baby is about a boxing trainer and manager, Frankie (Eastwood). A woman, Margaret Fitzgerald (Swank), wants him to train her. Frankie claims he can't train her, but as she grows in potential and determination, he starts to. The story follows Maggie and Frankie as they try to fulfill their dreams, and show the world that they believe. Unlike no other film I have ever seen, the acting in th Is film is just riveting. Clint Eastwood deserved an Academy win, not a nomination. His acting was just moving and amazing throughout. He wasn't a lovable character, but Clint showed his character had a heart and was memorable all the same. Hillary Swank was outstanding, deserving her Oscar. Morgan Freeman is always a man to love. His comedic, nonchalant acting in this was stupendous. No wonder people always say he should get an Oscar for every film he does. The directing from Clint Eastwood was great, too. He always knows how to make a movie the right way. He should be directing all the intelligent and moving films out there, and then Hollywood would be even better than it is now. In the end, the movie is all about believing, which is risking it all for a dream that nobody sees...but you.
    100/100
  • DreamExtractor
    June 17, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    One the greatest and most dramatic films I have ever seen. Clint Eastwood, Hillary Swan, and Morgan Freeman lead possible the best cast of actors in a film I have ever seen, I mean how many films get nominated for all those Oscars in Acting and win most, not many thats for sure ... read morebut this film did. The story is about a old boxing coach who runs a gym, when his main boxer leaves him he is left with only his friend (Morgan Freeman) and his gym. A woman (Hillary Swank) wants to get his training and is a big fan, but he refuses to coach her for being a girl. But after seeing her determination and work, he decides to train her. But their realationship becomes stronger and is put to the ultimate test. Such an amazing film and cast make this the best boxing movie since Rocky and Raging Bull.
  • Stickykk
    May 6, 2011
    Stickykk
    Grade: A+ (100%)

    Boxing movies are simple but inspirational. Every boxing movie has an underdog fighting for the title of champion of the ring. I could make a list of how many of these movies follow this guideline. But Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby takes the underdog po... read morertion of the cliche and creates something masterful. Maggie Fitzgerald (played by Hilary Swank in her Oscar winning role) is a waitress who wants to be number one in the ring. After a fight, she waits in the hallway for Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood in one of his best performances as an actor) and asks him to be her trainer. "I don't train girls" and "Tough ain't enough" stops Maggie for pursuing him. The next day, Maggie shows up at the Hit Pit Gymnasium which is owned by Frank and his long time friend and ex-boxer Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman in his Oscar winning role). A couple of insults from Frankie and a couple of stories of her past leads to Frankie training Maggie and later becomes her manager.

    Now this is the part of the movie everyone can predict: we see Maggie train, becoming fit and strong, we see her boxing movements improve and we see a couple of fights that leads to her winning by knockout. This part of Million Dollar Baby is a cliche; however, this is also one of the movie's strengths. The boxing scenes shows Maggie able to take any opponent and knock the person out in the first round (if she wanted to). Clint Eastwood shows dangerous and sometimes bloody injuries that happen to Maggie in her fights. One is a graphic scene where Maggie breaks her nose and Frankie puts it back in and makes her suck up her blood from her nose back into the body - pretty graphic stuff. Yes, this is what we know about boxing movies.

    The second part of the movie is all Eastwood's imagination and quite frankly one of the most depressing endings ever made. This part of the movie I can't talk about because I would literally spoil the movie for you. All I can say is: if you have a negative response about the final minutes of the film, you should never watch another film again. All I can ask you is this: What would you do?

    Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is a masterpiece. It has great direction by Mr. Eastwood (winning Best Director for this film) and fantastic performances by Mr. Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Hilary Swank is astounding as Maggie, a woman with a f***ed up family and a dream to be the best. Morgan Freeman finally wins his Oscar as Eddie, a one eyed janitor of his home/gymnasium. He also narrates the film and also knocks someone out with a couple of punches (this proves that Mr. Freeman is a badass). Clint Eastwood's (nominated for Best Actor) performance in this film is amazing. Most of us know Clint as a cop, a gunslinger or an old timer with a rifle and we all know that isn't a guy to mess with. In this film, Clint shocked me. He played someone different - a man with a love for boxing. Mr. Eastwood reveals his emotions on screen. There is one scene where Frankie comes home and receives a returned letter from his daughter. Frankie gets teary-eye - pure acting and pure amazement from Mr. Eastwood. I never seen Clint Eastwood like this especially in the last half of the movie.

    Million Dollar Baby is amazing - plain and simple. Clint Eastwood directs his masterpiece in film making. Strong performances, tearjerking story, amazing score (also by Clint Eastwood), and excellent performances from the three main actors, Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is emotional, entertaining, but above all masterful.

    Million Dollar Baby was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and won 4
    Best Picture (Clint Eastwood)
    Best Director (Clint Eastwood)
    Best Actress (Hilary Swank)
    Best Supporting-Actor (Morgan Freeman)
  • guaybanex
    February 27, 2011
    guaybanex
    The marketing of "Million Dollar Baby" leads you to believe that the film about to unfold is the inspirational tale of a female Rocky and that description does this remarkable film very little justice. "Baby" is Eastwood's most sentimentally-driven film with raw displays of emo... read moretion that punches you right in the heart.

    Young Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) walks into a boxing training facility run by crabby Frankie Dunn (Eastwood). She pesters him long enough to get him to train her so that she can pursue her dream of becoming a female boxer and eventually he agrees. This partnership not only borns an incredible boxing champion but it creates a father/daughter bond that is central to the film's success.

    Eastwood masterfully shifts gears - going from real humor to riotous action to heart-tugging emotion - with ease. Swank is outstanding as Maggie Fitzgerald playing her with a tough innocence that makes her easy to root for and understand and Morgan Freeman doesn't disappoint.

    Be prepared to go an emotional roller coaster with "Million Dollar Baby"; you'll walk out of the theater shaken and emotionally stirred.

View All Million Dollar Baby Reviews

Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss
August 1, 2008
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

Like Eastwood, it's a relic that dazzles you with its footwork, daring and class. Full Review

Roger Ebert
February 6, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby is a masterpiece, pure and simple, deep and true. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 28, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

[A] solid boxing drama. Full Review

Bruce Newman
January 15, 2005
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

A glorious knockout punch of a movie.

Andrew Sarris
January 13, 2005
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

No movie in my memory has depressed me more than Million Dollar Baby. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
January 7, 2005
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

The result is the kind of movie they don't make anymore -- a real crowd-pleaser. Full Review

Eric Harrison
January 7, 2005
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle

When you think you know its moves, it throws in fancy footwork. Then it sucker-punches you when you're not looking. Full Review

Terry Lawson
January 7, 2005
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

It may be that only Spencer Tracy and Paul Newman (and can someone explain to me how Eastwood and Newman have avoided making a movie together?) aged as well and as interestingly onscreen. Full Review

Tom Long
January 7, 2005
Tom Long, Detroit News

It's a weeper, a fighter, a dreamer of a film that treads on ground that's been fairly trampled over the years. It should stink. Instead, it's flat-out wonderful.

Robert Denerstein
January 7, 2005
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

Eastwood takes another whack at the cliches on which his career was built. He's made a deliberately paced and surprisingly provocative movie about the toll of failure and the torments of responsibility.

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Facts

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    • Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: Don't say that. Maggie walked through that door with nothing buts guts. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. It was because of you that she was fighting the championship of the world. You did that. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? I never got my shot. Because of you Maggie got her shot. If she dies today you know what her last thought would be? I think I did all right
    • Frankie Dunn: Mo cuishle. It means my darling. My blood.
    • Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: [about Maggie's decision to go by air and back by car] She made her return trip by ambulance.
    • Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: Frankie likes to say that boxing is an unnatural act, that everything in boxing is backwards: sometimes the best way to deliver a punch is to step back... But step back too far and you ain't fighting at all.
    • Maggie Fitzgerald: We're flyin'?
    • Frankie Dunn: Would you rather drive?
    • Maggie Fitzgerald: You're askin' me?
    • Frankie Dunn: Would you rather fly or would you rather drive?
    • Maggie Fitzgerald: So I finally get to decide somethin'.
    • Frankie Dunn: That's what I'm sayin'.
    • Maggie Fitzgerald: Fine. Fly there, drive back.
    • Frankie Dunn: That's the stupid thing I've ever heard. Now, how are we gonna do that?
    • Maggie Fitzgerald: You said it was up to me.
    • Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris: I have HBO.
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