I believe that the correct term for a movie like Million Dollar Baby is "hokey". It's corny and manipulative and completely unbelievable. It still manages to hold your attention. This kind of movie isn't about the plot. Eastwood acts like he hasn't since Unforgiven, complete with actual facial expressions and emotion. Of course, the character isn't a bombastic profiteering user, hence, not realistic, but it's a good acting job. Morgan Freeman was seriously miscast and plays the smartest, most sensitive boxer ever on planet earth. If you have ever met a boxer, especially a retired boxer, you realize that you can't take his character too literally. Swank is hyper-sweet and hyper-likable, unlike any real woman ever, seriously, the closest thing you could relate the character to would be a really affectionate puppy. She acts with that whole-hearted intensity that real actors get when they see a potential Oscar-role. She also has a nicer ass than I previously thought. To sum up, Million Dollar Baby is more along the lines of fantasy than something relating to real life, and throws up a bunch of characters that exist nowhere in humanity, but they are thrown up very well. The plot is ridiculous, but well told. It also has no message whatsoever, except maybe the old shared-genes-does-not-a-family-make one, or maybe it's the even older love-does-what-it-takes one.
Technorati Tags : hilary, swank, clint, eastwood, morgan, freeman
