There has been alot of talk about Million Dollar Baby. Clint Eastwood didn't do alot of promotion, most of it was word of mouth, some previews, but only really in the few weeks before it was released. Not much in the way of advanced screenings, nothing popped up on the radar screen about the film... until it was released that is.
Now it is being hailed universally as the "best of 2004" and "Clint Eastwoods best" and all that.
So I went to see it. I loved last years Mystic River, I thought it took a somewhat cliched plot (murder mystery, family drama) and twisted it, pulled it and shaped it into something unique.
He does the same thing to Million Dollar Baby. The film is tight, interesting, understated and moving.
I can't really give away the plot, other than to say that though it is about boxing, it isn't really about boxing. It is about redemption, faith and striving to reach a goal, no matter what the cost.
It is a great film, and I would say one of the best of 2004, though I think The Passion of the Christ gives it a run for it's money.
It is a bit off base on some of it's theology and philosophy (I can't really get into it, but it deals with some deep issues). There is a priest who seems... to harsh. Strong, which is a great improvement over the normal "Christians are namby pamby wimps" characterization that normally is seen in movies, but I think overly strong in some ways. I don't know... Roger Ebert thought he was simply a "good man" which is a big improvement to be sure.
The film is moving. From the opening to the ending the characters are well drawn, subtle, fine tuned and expertly played. The action is well paced and well done, the drama is touching. This feels like a biographical sketch.
And Eastwood, who is a great director, did a great job. He knows how to light his film, how to shoot it, and how to give it that extra special something that makes it great.
So... I would suggest you see it. For more info, and a review that I found great, check out Roger Ebert's site.
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4 comments:
If you look back a few posts... it is there. With a few others I saw.
I saw the preview for this movie in the theater while seeing Phantom (on your recommendation) and it looked really interesting. Do you think it is worth it to see it on the big screen, or will it be just as good when viewing at home?
Anything worth seeing is worth seeing on the big screen. When you see something in a theater you are more attuned to it, because you are there to see it. I find at home that there are other distractions, and with a film like this, you will want to be able to really think about what it is saying.
Aside from that... it is a darkly lit film, so it is often better to see it on a big screen with good projection, you can see everything. It is not an effects driven film, with really big set peices (like Lord of the RIngs), so you won't lose as much in the transition to the small screen if that is what you are worried about.
Bottom line, refer to my first line:)
Interestingly, this film and The Passion are basically indie films by well known guys, made for very little money (comparatively). This only cost $25 million.
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