Slow-moving, dull, depressing, and worst of all, emotionally manipulative, oscarbait. Eastwood once again invokes a gritty facade for a forgettably conventional melodrama.

Movie of the year! It´s great!

What I've loved about Eastwood eever since I saw him as a kid in "Paint Your Wagon" beside Lee Marvin, is his use of short power phrases, and long looks. This movie had me "at hello" , and I was on my way to delivering one of my best ratings ever. Then came the cathartic ending. True, this movie delivers a "punch", but imagine the "punch" if determination, and persistence would truly have paid off here: much moreso, I believe.… Expand

Saddest movie in History.

I just watched the movie this morning at 9am before I went to work, before my morning cup of coffee and before breakfast! But as soon as the credits began for Million Dollar Baby it had my attention until the very end. Hillary Swank and Clint Eastwood's (and Morgan Freeman and Clint for that matter) relationship was extremely touching and there wasn't a note of disbelief in the whole film. It hits you all the way to your core and brings your eyes to tears more than once. Props to all the actors involved for a wonderful job.… Expand

Let me first qualify that I've done many reviews on here and never given anything a 10. I save 10's for the rare movie that goes beyond being a movie. A movie that actually touches your soul. In addition to having tons of heart to it, the story, acting, directing and score are all first rate as well. Anyone who rates this film less than an 8 clearly has serious personal issues. Films don't get much better than this.… Expand

This is by far the best movie that I have seen this year. No movie has ever moved me like this one.

Could you honestly have thought it was that deep going in? I was very surprised, and enjoyed the movie without reservation. Freeman gives the story ability to move without the other two main characters and does so by giving the film a sense of noble class. A great film.

Masterpiece.

Great acting , not your typical boxing movie. More feelings and sad at the end. I left the theatre thinking about the movie. It was touching.

Not what you'd expect.

Good movie, but a little to slow for my liking.

Hated this over rated cliched piece of crap.cannot believe how people can be minupulated by critics into thinking this is anything but pedestrian at best.

Clint Eastwood does it again! Eastwood, Swank and Freeman are all excellent and each deserves the Oscar. I just wish it had a happier ending.

Very touchy, sad .....best of the best 2005.

The most emotionally intense movie in many years. Old-fashoined, straight-forward and totally captivating. Brilliant performances and direction. Eastwood's masterpiece to this point.

You could not hear a pindrop throughout the theater. I loved Clint, Hillary and Morgan, and hated Hillary's mother and siblings. Therefore, the acting was great and produced the desired connection with me the viewer. It should win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor & Best Actress. The movie definitely scores a knockout. Then please explain to me why I left the theater feeling so depressed.… Expand

Easily the besr movie i have seen in a long time.

Certainly the best movie I've seen this year, and one of the best movies I have seen in my entire life. The acting, writing and directing are second to none.

Best movie of the year and deserves it.

This was the best movie i have seen at the cinema for quite some time. The people who have given it such a low rating clearly do not know much about movies and what the mass majority of cinema-goers are entertained by, and i would like to know what movies they find entertaining/good -- i expect they are anti-mainstream people (in other words, pretentious, and enjoy obscure, dull movies). Anyway, this movie is brilliant, and wholeheartedly deserved all of the top Oscars it achieved (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress).… Expand

The best way I can describe "Million Dollar Baby" is that it is only pseudo-deep. I never felt the film became truly human. Perhaps this is because Clint Eastwood causes it to seem self-consciously "classical." Many consider it a masterful demonstration of "classical filmmaking," but in my opinion this attempt to keep things "stripped down" to the bare essentials has gone beyond "Mystic River" and actually affected characterization. None of the characters have any flaws, and thus provided me with no connection. I felt I was watching an interesting story that was well shot, and that was that. In the end, there is truly nothing special about "Million Dollar Baby." Even the Oscar-winning actors of the trio gave superficial performances (how in the world did Swank win over Imelda Staunton, Kate Winslet, and Annette Bening?). I think the only reason "Baby" exists is to give people a reason two years from now to complain about how Scorsese lost to an undeserving director yet again, because I'm sticking by my notion that a film this thin in true, honest humanity and this riddled with cliches will not stand the test of time.… Expand

It boggles the mind that some people cannot appreciate this for the masterpiece it is. Sure, MAYBE some of the events wouldn't have happened the way they did in the movie, but in the end, isn't the only thing that matters the story the film tells? Don't tell me you can't suspend your disbelief just a little bit.

OVERRATED! This movie gets one point each for the dedication of Eastwood, Swank, and especially Freeman. But come on! The boxing throughout is portrayed in a very superficial, disingenuous manner, and I am by no means a boxing fan. A dozen consecutive first round KOs? Why not aim for a little realism here? And the "twist." Let's just say that wouldn't happen, and if it did **SPOILER ALERT** they'd hang the "scabby kraut" from the rafters. Did Maggie really "not win"? She was felled by A Cheap Shot After the Bell. Hello DQ, followed by lynch mob. The title character's family is the most ridiculous caricature of a selfish white trash family. Give them some kind of dimension, ANYthing. Instead, they're slaveringly selfish Mickey Mouse-emblazoned louts with thick drawls and thicker torsos. Ho hum.… Expand

GREAT MOVIE!!!

The best film of 2004, bar none.

LOVED IT! really loved it! we watched it in english and most of us were in tears after watching it....really touching.

Well written and thought out film that actually addresses some of the issues we see in society today. The score was a little overdone in some places but the general flow of the film was enjoyable and left the viewer to contemplate his/her own issues related to the ending.

Nice flow, many genuinely poignant moments. A little pretentious in spots (an east German prostitute boxer who fights dirty, come on), and ultimately enlightened defeatism, but genuinely so. Great energetic can-do performance by Swank.

I rememeber being very upset at the fact that this movie got the Oscar for best picture. But then again I did not get to see it until I picked up the DVD. I honestly thought Eastwood could not overdo Mystic River. And of course, I am proving wrong (It happent from time to time) This film deserved any awards it got. The relationship between Eastwood and Swank is magic. I hate when i get teary when watching movies. And here I did as well. Great film!… Expand

One of Eastwood's worst movies, and one of the most overrated films in recent years. The plot was not orginal as Indira said. The film was formulaic and cliche ridden.

Never hits a false note, never breaks from its melancholy, reminiscent tone.

Any movie that can achieve such depth of character deserves greater respect than this movie seems to be getting. There are three major characters all of which are amazingly realistic!

I thought that this film was well-made; beautiful direction from Clint Eastwood and terrific performances from everyone in the cast. However, I had some problems with some of the material. The depiction of poor people in the film was ignorant and offensive; Haggis seems to think that all poor people are white-trash slobs who don't even care about their loved ones. Also, the film seems to think that one is better off dead than paralyzed, I suggest that Paul Haggis views "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," the best film of 2007, and a much finer picture than this one.… Expand

The Academy Awards' jury has a tendency to favour those dramatic motion pictures that feature protagonists' lives opersating on many levels. Million Dollar Baby is the winner of Best Motion Picture of 2004 at the 77th Academy Awards, besides winning three more Oscars including the one for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, played by Hilary Swank. But for me this movie is chiefly about the anguished life of its male protagonist, Frank Dunn, a senile boxing trainer trying to make amends for his disturbing elusive past. He is guilt-ridden and attends the Mass everyday. He writes to his (estranged) daughter every week, hoping for a reconciliation with her. And we do not have to wait for long until we find out that his other actions are equally unclear. Their motive(s) is/are never described: (1) He is shown as attending the Mass for twenty-three years, but why he keeps pissing off the Father by asking real inane religious questions is never hinted at. (2) What is the reason behind his constant attempt to learn Gaelic? We cannot come close to even guess that. Is it his hobby-horse or is it just another minute revelation connected to his unknown past? Answer for yourself. (3) Why does Frank try to prevent Willie Jones to have his shot, until the latter loses his patience and finally leaves the old trainer ending eight-years of their professional bonding. But one thing ramains clear: Frankie's life experiences really proves that if a life's course is that of his, then indeed "Tough ain't Enough". What is required in addition to toughness is endurance-an endurnce to fight with your inner demon, to be able to sustain by grappling with melancholy memories, haunting thoughts and a hopeless existence. Frank Dunn painstakingly manages to do that. What really thrilled me about this movie are not the boxing fights, most of which I believe have been handled amateurishly, but its intense climax. You just quietly (and sadly) watch Maggie's physical condition going from bad to worse, ultimately reaching a deadlock when her existence only indicates a virtual endless death-in-life experience. This calls for her release in euthanasia, which is given to her by Frank thus increasing his own anguish to its highest level. The act leaves Frank alone and despair, gloomy and with probably a single hope to attain absolution, sooner than later. But till that hope sustains, he attempts to find a little peace at "a place set in the cedars and oak trees, somewhere between nowhere and goodbye. But that's probably wishful thinking." This psychologically motivating and emotionally engaging movie is worth a watch. Strictly recommendable! … Expand

Oscar fun!!! Wonderful, Great, Show!!!!

A true "dinosaur" movie of cliches, executed artfully-- the basic plot (or both of them) is shamelessly melodramatic. Nice byplay between Eastwood and Freeman, and beautiful shadows in the boxing gym and elsewhere, but I literally COULD NOT BELIEVE the weepy final act. Also features the most contemptible depiction of "white trash" since About Schmidt.

Exquisite. You must go see it. If any other film takes top honors come Oscar time (especially the horrible Sideways), I will be highly upset. This is the BEST film of the year.

Hands down, the best film I've ever seen. I kept thinking about it after I left the theater and the next day! Great performances and Oscars all around.

Best picture of the year.

Best picture. Oscars all around.

A tough one to grade. On the upside, an Oscar-worthy performance by Swank, who is utterly convincing and sympathetic; I really rooted for her. Terrific cinematography and fight scenes that actually got my heart racing a little. However, critics are correct when they say this movie is full of cliches. I suppose it's hard to avoid repeating certain basic themes in a sports movie, especially a boxing movie, but so many elements were completely predictable. My biggest problem is with the final act. Some have praised it as giving the movie a kind of profundity and significance that would have been missing otherwise. While it certainly added some weight to the proceedings, however, like the rest of the movie there was absolutely nothing original about it. It did not challenge the viewer or break any new ground, which, considering the attention lavished on this movie, is a real shame. But overall this is a well made and enjoyable movie. It just could have been something better, and I many viewers seem to be convinced it is something it isn't.… Expand

This movie had all the cliches and tear-jerking moments that were characteristic of movies in the 40's and 50's. OK, I won't give away the ending, except to say that it was too long in coming. The fight scenes were of the "Rocky" type: haymakers that in real life would have killed a bull but in this movie just send her to the corner so Clint can tell her to suck it up. And of course she does. I saw a few damp eyes in the theater, so if you are a sucker for a tear-jerker, this flick is for you, but if you like more sophisticated, realistic movies, like Mystic River, take a pass.… Expand

At 74 Eastwood is doing his best work yet. Screenplay, direction, and performances are all first rate. Great film.

This was an amazing story about hope, perseverance and friendship told eloquently by Eastwood and his masterful direction. The mesage is not delivered by a knock out punch but rather through deliberate jabs. Masterful performances by Swank, Freeman and Eastwood make this film one of the year's best.

The only reason Scorsese will win the Oscar over Eastwood is because Clint already won. Calling Million Dollar Baby a "formula film" is obsurd. The acting alone is brilliant. If any movie was slow, It was the last hour of The Aviator. Alan Alda for Best Supporting Actor? I'll take Morgan Freeman. At least he was in the movie for more than five minutes.

I am sorry to say but this is the most overestimated film this year. Republican Eastwood is starting to come off as a pompous snoot, who thinks he's better than Ford and Welles. This is a manipulative, cliche-ridden smug movie, that will deservedly lose to Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" in the Best Picture race. Similarly, I hop Imelda Staunton manages to get the Oscar over Ms. Swank.

Major dissapointment! A slow, trdious and eventually formula film that belongs on cable. Eastwood is far from the staggering genius many seem to think he is.

It was a slow, boring and predictable drama that falls far short of the effusive praise it is getting. I liked Mystic River, but this one was forgettable.

best movie of the year

Beautifully made and supremely well acted.

Amazing emotional trip. Swank is an iron clad guarranty to get the Oscar.

Engages the viewer such that they are more than just an observer - they are involved in these people's lives. A very powerful movie.

Excellent and thought provoking film. Beautiful lighting. Excellent acting. Nice to see stories like this that don't fit the standard studio formula for box office appeal.

Absolutely stunning, this beautifully crafted film transcends potential cliches (numerous, it's true), for a devastating, yet oddly spiritually uplifting, moviegoing experience. Magnificent, understated performances by all, particularly the incredible Hilary Swank. Expresses so much about fathers and daughters -- and the true dimensions of love and responsibility. Bring boxes of Kleenex, and prepare to be haunted by this exquisite film long after you've left the theater.… Expand

Honestly one of the most boring , contrite, cliched, cliched, cliched movies I've seen in ages. The ending was depressing. The acting was okay. I guess I just expected a better film than this. I imagine that if it wins the best picture award, in 5 years people will be saying, what in the heck was the academy thinking?

Exciting movie. All the acting is brilliant. The pace is perfect even in the movie's final act. Not only Eastwood's best performance, it's also his best musical score to date. I also love how the film was lit. Excellent, Excellent!

This movie was awful! I hated it. seriously the worst movie of the year!

Kicked my butt. Loved it.....Eastwood/Swank convinced us what love is truly all about. Oscars for all three leads...movie and director.

This movie is rooted in one of Hollywood's oldest plots--the come-from-behind sports movie. But, it's very hard to make a totally original movie after 100 years of movie-making. Yet, Eastwood and the others in the cast have transcended cliche and made one of the most engrossing movies in years. I suspect this film will be one that Eastwood is most remebered by. By the way--speaking of cliches: One person is reponsible for 90% of the negative reviews registered here. He doesn't have the wit to cover his tracks with varied style in his narratives. His writing is supreme evidence of cliche run rampant. He's also a believer in "Vote and vote often." Without his multiple entries this movie would have an audience rating closer to 95%.… Expand

Ideology-wise, "Million Dollar Baby" is cruel. Eastwood gives us a welfare family which exemplifies the darkside of liberalism that Republicans warn us about, but it's the go-getter that overcomes her environment who gets punished. What is Eastwood's message? Life's not fair. This is my favorite subversion of the inspirational sports movie since "Lucas".

Well-done, entertaining, interesting ending, but didn't leave a deep emotional impression. The big surprise is that the Hillary Swank character is really a man. (just kidding)

[***SPOILERS***] Superb! Raw emotions without being sappy. 3 unapolgetic fighters to the end. Spinal cord injury scenes not shown as bad as it really is.We know because we live it and there is alot of physical and emotional pain. Thank you for bringing awarenss to this terrible injury.

I don't know what more you could possibly want. Exactly as I hoped it would be!

The year's most overated film, dull, uninspiring, sluggish filmaking with too many cliches.

Emotions run the gammut... You'll laugh, you'll cuss, you'll cry.

Eastwood captures the most heartfelt emotions without becoming overly sentimental. The relationships between the three main characters are incredibly touching and ring very true. He captures the complexities of life in such an understated manner that you cannot help but be caught up in the characters' stories and swept in a tide of emotion. But you never feel manipulated. It just is what it is. Hilary Swank surpasses her performance in "Boys Don't Cry." This physical transformation (she IS this boxer) is also powerful, but it's her portrayal of someone who, despite overwhelming odds, stays ture to her authentic self, and pursues her quest for a true family and her dream with equal exuberance. This is a classic that is detined to move audiences for years to come.… Expand

Powerful, emotional, gut-stirring don't really come close to describing this movie. No movie has ever smacked me as hard as this one.

Excellent performances all around, and very tight writing and directing. The first three quarters of the film are just about perfect. The ending causes me some concern, not because of its content (life doesn't always give us happy endings), but that it's just too facile. All in all, a very good movie with true emotional punch.

It looks already like a classic.

Great movie - Clint Eastwood is one of the best. Morgan Freeman did a wonderful job, if fact the whole movie was extremely well acted and beautifully photographed.

I'm not a big Clint Eastwood fan, but I had high hopes with all the good press that this movie would make my day. I was disappointed. Rather than a movie with an interesting twist at the end, it was like it was 2 unrelated movies cobbled together. Both were filmed beautifully, but neither worked for me indepedently and the combination just left me very disappointed. I wish I had gone to see Hotel Rwanda instead which seems to have such heavy subject matter but appears in the end to be uplifting. MDB seemed to be gratuitously "heavy" and "deep" while ultimately missing the mark and was a big disappointment.… Expand

It's one of the movies of the year... Great movie, Great director, great actress, great secondary role actor (Morgan Freeaman)!! Loved it!!!

The Best Film of the Year. On the outside 'Million Dollar Baby' seems like a boxing picture, but it's really a character study of the three characters involved (played expertly by Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman). Before I saw the film, I thought it was going to be a tacky and sappy girl boxing movie, but it wasn't. I find even after I've seen it, it's hard to convince people the film is not like that, and it's not a conventional formulatic boxing film like Rocky, but that it is something a hell of a lot deeper. After seeing the film for a second time, I found that it really has no weak points other then being a little slow towards the beginning (which was essential in order to tell the story correctly.) Clint Eastwood not only does an outstanding job directing this soon-to-be-classic, but he also produces the film, composes a spellbinding musical score, and gives his very best screen performance as Frankie Dunn, a down-on-his-luck boxing manager who decides to take on a wannabe female boxer. Morgan Freeman provides us with a quiet yet extremely effective performance as Frankie's long-time friend and partner. Not only does Freeman play this part, but his character narrates the story, so the whole movie is told from this character's perspective. The on-screen chemistry between Eastwood and Freeman is too incredible for words, a chemistry that was only once before seen in 1992's Best Picture winner 'Unforgiven', that was also made by Eastwood. The best peformance of the film obviously comes from Hilary Swank as the average trailer-trash restaurant waitress who's one true passion is for boxing. Swank delivers a tour-de-force performance, and along with Eastwood it's also her best on-screen acting performance. Ms. Swank knows her character very well, and it shows that she didn't just memorize the lines of the character, but she embodied the character. Overall, when you see the film you don't see the three actors, but the characters they portray. 'Million Dollar Baby' is my choice for Best Picture, along with the Oscars for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score. I give 'Million Dollar Baby' an 'A'.… Expand

I saw this movie last night and I adored it, it was moving and inspiring and the acting was unbelievable!! I find it mind-boggling that anyone could see this movie and not love it, but I guess it all boils down to taste!! I rate it up there with Shawshank Redemption, I hope it wins every award!!

Outstanding!!

The best film of the year very intense came out of the theater feeling like I just went 10 rounds.

A little overrated. A good movie, but outside of Hilary Swank (who is terrific) I don't see a whole lot that impresses me. Eastwood's directing has countless flaws, the cinematography is horrendous, and Eastwood's musical score leaves a lot to be desired. No wonder this movie didn't cost a whole lot to make. Eastwood used half of the budget to pay the movie critics. This is NOT a "great" movie. Good, but not great.… Expand

Acting was wonderful but making the first part a hi 10 and the middle to ending a 0 was so depressing for us. It bothered my husband a lot who has had tragedy in his family and it brought back memories. We didn't like it at all.

Incredible. Best movie of the last year. Hope it wins the oscar.

When the lights came on, I felt that I had just been through an intense emotional workout. This is masterful storytelling, never overdone.

I really found the movie extremely depressing. My stomach was in knots. Regardless, the acting, directing and screenplay was tremendous. Therefore, if you are going, thinking this is anotherROCKY type movie better stay home.

I feel like I've seen this story on the screen too many times. It's just predictable. Not as good as Rocky, and not even in the same league as Raging Bull. I like when movies move me emotionally, and I welcome and desire it, but this movie did nothing for me. Hillary Swank was the only bright spot, in my opinion.

Best movies I've seen this year and i don't like boxing!

Hillary Swank is awesome, Clint is right there and Morgan Freeman is solid. A terrific movie, just about perfect.

This is one of the best movies i've seen in awhile. it's up there with "friday night lights" as one of my favorite dramas with a sports theme. eastwood's acting and direction has aged like a fine wine. he's a classic american actor who delivers a knock-out punch in this film! yes, it is depressing near the end but it seems very true to life given what can easily occur in this visceral and at times, brutal sport.… Expand

As always eastwood is the best.

The most disappointing movie I've ever seen. Sentimental cliches strung together. I was so bored. Why does everyone think this film is so great? What a joke.

Superb storytelling with superb acting, probably why this earned best picture. Enjoy!

Simply espectacular.

Great movie, great story, but some cliches bring it down from a 10. Don't think it deserved the Oscar, but definitely nomination-worthy.

[SPOILER...of sorts] A decent movie, but highly (and imcomprehensibly) over-rated. This movie starts out like Rocky and ends up like Terms of Endearment. It would have been a more enjoyable film if Eastwood had chosen one path or the other. It's just not good enough to do both successfully. I can enjoy melodrama and cliches when the movie doesn't take itself so seriously. But Million Dollar Baby aims for high art and high art it ain't. That said, Swank is very good -- and she and her archnemesis ("The Blue Bear") look fabulous! I'd love to have (and be able to afford) their personal trainers.… Expand

Best movie I've seen in SEVERAL years. (And I don't even like boxing.) Terrific acting all around, ideal casting, and a story that still gets to you long after going home. I love Eastwood movies, and this is his best.

A sharply-made but tired drama that reveals nothing to you though it succeeds in making it look like it should. Not a bad effort, but undeserving of the reviews and awards it's getting.

Another top-notched-Eastwood-directed movie. A very sad ending though but, nonetheless, very touching movie overall. If you liked Unforgiven and Mystic River then you will love this one, pretty sure! ... My Rating: 8.5

Beautifuuly told story of human nature and life.

Million Dollar Baby is an unbelievable motion picture. It completely deserved the Best Picture Oscar. Hillary Swank's, Clint Eastwood's, and Morgan Freeman's performances were astonishing! Make sure you see this movie.

This isn't typically my sort of movie, but I really enjoyed it. I like jeremy's oscar the grouch award idea, but it would more fittingly go to someone who thinks everything is garbage b/c they're a grouch.