Dynamic characters vitalize boxing film

Some films have it; others don’t. Clint Eastwood’s newest creation, “Million Dollar Baby,” is definitely one of those that does.

Set inside the tumultuous world of boxing, this movie flies like a butterfly and stings like a bee. Based on a couple of short stories from “Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner” by F.X. Toole, “Million Dollar Baby” transcends the typical sports film.

Filled with emotion, humanity and perfectly flawed characters, the film leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

An all-star cast of Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman does a masterful job of bringing to life some of the most memorable characters of recent times.

Eastwood plays a tough-as-nails boxing trainer/manager named Frankie Dunn who owns a gym in Los Angeles. Frankie is well respected in the boxing world both for his ability to train and for his skills as a cut man. (A cut man’s job is to stop fighters from bleeding so they can continue fighting.)

Freeman, who also narrates the film, plays a washed-up former fighter named Eddie “Scrap Iron” DuPris, who is a very close friend of Frankie. Eddie, who is now only a has-been, not only manages and cleans Frankie’s gym, the Hit Pit, but also lives there.

Although he has only one good eye, Eddie can see things others don’t. For instance, Eddie doesn’t like to measure the size of the man but instead looks at the size of the heart. And when he first sets eyes on Maggie Fitzgerald — played by Swank — he sees more heart and guts than he’s seen in ages.

On the screen with these two grizzled film veterans, Swank holds her own and then some. She brings Maggie to life as more than just an underdog with a dream of being a big-time fighter. She is a vulnerable and sad character, but just under the surface is a hidden ferocity that only comes out once she learns how to fight.

That doesn’t happen right away. First, Maggie and Eddie have to convince Frankie that she’s worthy of training, something Frankie only initially agrees to do until they can find her a full-time manager.

However, at her first fight under another manager, she is not having much success until Frankie shows up and decides to take over. After a few tips in the corner, Maggie comes out and blasts her opponent to the canvas with a “good night” right hook.

After that first fight, Frankie takes Maggie totally under his wing. The two form an unbreakable bond that lasts throughout the film, even overshadowing the tragic conclusion.

The film is beautifully shot with perfect lighting, leaving just the right amount in shadow throughout, never quite revealing everything about the characters to the audience. The fight scenes are maybe a little bit Hollywood but are explosive and fierce nonetheless.

Overall, the film is worthy of any and all hardware it garners this award season and is a must see for anyone who enjoys examining the human spirit.

Rating: A+