2008 Woodie Awards
"Dirty Harry" Shows Another Side
At Seventy-Four, Eastwood Awes with Newfound Emotional Complexity
Paul Meyer Adam
Issue date: 2/15/05 Section: Arts & Culture
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Million Dollar Baby
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by F.X. Toole and Paul Haggis
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman
When people tell you how much you ought to see "Million Dollar Baby," they'll probably mention Hilary Swank first, which is fair enough. Hilary Swank is growing up to be the elite actresses of her generation. She gave a career performance in "Boys Don't Cry" and gave another one here. Then, however, they'll mention Clint Eastwood, whose name should actually come up first.
After forty years of being the human manifestation of grit, Clint's impressive acting and directing don't quite impact us the way they used to. But this time, the actor who wrote the book on tough guys has, in one single stroke, laid his life's work to rest.
Eastwood, as wizened boxing coach Frankie Dunn, is (surprise!) a gravel-voiced old hand who answers to no one. He makes fun of priests shamelessly and doesn't give his fighters a title shot until he knows they're ready. However, just below the surface are the painful scars of a fighter's life. Frankie doesn't speak with his daughter, his champion contender has signed with another promoter who'll give him a title fight and his best/last friend (Morgan Freeman) is a coulda-been prize fighter, whose career-ending injury may have been Frank's fault.
Then one day in walks Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank), a country gal with big dreams, who by all rights should not be anywhere near a boxing ring. Hesitant at first, Frankie warms up to Maggie and takes her all the way to the top. Don't be concerned if this sounds like a composite of every sports movie cliché you ever saw. The movie takes the same story you've heard a thousand times before and retells it grippingly. If we follow the obvious parallels to Mr. Eastwood's career, this first act takes us as far as Unforgiven. Masterful, emotional, enjoyable, but not very original.
And then, the twist. I can't say how, but Million Dollar Baby leaves you so shocked, you might want to go back to the run-of-the-mill sports movie you were expecting. Eastwood and Swank show us the terrible price we pay for glory and self-recognition. This is a painful truth that Clint Eastwood's characters have avoided for years, but one that the veteran actor shows us that he is willing to accept.
Clint Eastwood has never shown such range or sensitivity, as either actor or director. With this performance, he can officially lay to rest Dirty Harry, Josey Wales, The Pale Rider and every other too-tough thug he has played in his life. This movie bares the dark sides that they will eventually confront if they don't go out in a blaze of glory first.
Although we were all suitably impressed by Bridges of Madison County and Mystic River, it was widely believed that Eastwood could never be in top form without a gun in hand and a score to settle. But here he has equalled, perhaps bested, every hardboiled action film in his long career. It has come late enough, but if Clint Eastwood's career can be said to have a turning point, this is it.
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by F.X. Toole and Paul Haggis
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman
When people tell you how much you ought to see "Million Dollar Baby," they'll probably mention Hilary Swank first, which is fair enough. Hilary Swank is growing up to be the elite actresses of her generation. She gave a career performance in "Boys Don't Cry" and gave another one here. Then, however, they'll mention Clint Eastwood, whose name should actually come up first.
After forty years of being the human manifestation of grit, Clint's impressive acting and directing don't quite impact us the way they used to. But this time, the actor who wrote the book on tough guys has, in one single stroke, laid his life's work to rest.
Eastwood, as wizened boxing coach Frankie Dunn, is (surprise!) a gravel-voiced old hand who answers to no one. He makes fun of priests shamelessly and doesn't give his fighters a title shot until he knows they're ready. However, just below the surface are the painful scars of a fighter's life. Frankie doesn't speak with his daughter, his champion contender has signed with another promoter who'll give him a title fight and his best/last friend (Morgan Freeman) is a coulda-been prize fighter, whose career-ending injury may have been Frank's fault.
Then one day in walks Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank), a country gal with big dreams, who by all rights should not be anywhere near a boxing ring. Hesitant at first, Frankie warms up to Maggie and takes her all the way to the top. Don't be concerned if this sounds like a composite of every sports movie cliché you ever saw. The movie takes the same story you've heard a thousand times before and retells it grippingly. If we follow the obvious parallels to Mr. Eastwood's career, this first act takes us as far as Unforgiven. Masterful, emotional, enjoyable, but not very original.
And then, the twist. I can't say how, but Million Dollar Baby leaves you so shocked, you might want to go back to the run-of-the-mill sports movie you were expecting. Eastwood and Swank show us the terrible price we pay for glory and self-recognition. This is a painful truth that Clint Eastwood's characters have avoided for years, but one that the veteran actor shows us that he is willing to accept.
Clint Eastwood has never shown such range or sensitivity, as either actor or director. With this performance, he can officially lay to rest Dirty Harry, Josey Wales, The Pale Rider and every other too-tough thug he has played in his life. This movie bares the dark sides that they will eventually confront if they don't go out in a blaze of glory first.
Although we were all suitably impressed by Bridges of Madison County and Mystic River, it was widely believed that Eastwood could never be in top form without a gun in hand and a score to settle. But here he has equalled, perhaps bested, every hardboiled action film in his long career. It has come late enough, but if Clint Eastwood's career can be said to have a turning point, this is it.