Why Million Dollar Baby is My Favorite Movie

             
In 2004, Clint Eastwood released his dramatic sports film that was nominated for 7 Oscars and won 4 including best picture. Million Dollar Baby is about a woman who must overcome many obstacles to achieve her goals, despite when everyone is telling her that she can’t. Million Dollar Baby tells the inspirational story of Maggie Fitzgerald, a hard working, dedicated, and inspired rookie boxer who will do whatever it takes to be the best. Maggie wants to be a boxer even though she is in her 30’s, which is an unusual age for beginner boxers. The theme is of Million Dollar Baby is that life is unfair, but you have to keep working hard anyway to achieve your goals. 

Million Dollar Baby is my favorite film because it has a complex, but understandable plot and has complex characters. It is important to have a complex plot because a simple conflict can often become a bore in a drama film. If the conflict is complex then the audience will be constantly engaged in the film. There are many conflicts in Million Dollar Baby, one of which is that Maggie is trying to be the greatest boxer she can be, even all the odds are against her. Not only does Maggie have a conflict, but the supporting characters do as well. Frankie, Maggie’s trainer, needs security and a father-daughter relationship to make up for how he failed to be a good father for his first daughter. Scrap, the gym’s janitor, needs to keep the gym running and protect a rookie boxer, Danger, from being bullied by other members of the gym. He also has the responsibility of fixing Frankie’s problems. These conflicts are complex, but understandable to the audience so that they do not lose interest. The characters are also very interesting and with interesting and believable characters the audience won’t care what happens to them. Maggie is interesting because she came from a troubled family and managed to escape them and start her own life. She is believable because she is struggling financially in life like a lot of people. Frankie is interesting because he goes to church every single day and the audience doesn’t know why until the end and he is believable because he is older and has regrets in his life which are a common problem with an older gentleman. These are all interesting takes on characters that leave the audience involved in the plot. 

Million Dollar Baby serves the function of showing how life is unfair, but you need to keep pushing through anyway. In the film, Maggie was born into a “white trash” family that didn’t support her and did not work hard for a living. Despite being born into these circumstances, Maggie moves out and away from her family. Maggie then becomes a waitress and is constantly working long shifts to pay for her rent and boxing gear. Rather than giving up because she was born into a bad family, Maggie took the opportunity to rise above and make a name for her. As a result, Maggie achieved her dreams and was able to become a successful boxer. Not only does the film display what to do when life throws you a curveball, it also shows you what not to do. As a result of a dirty fighter, Maggie becomes completely paralyzed and must live in an assisted care home for the rest of her life. Maggie then decides that she is going to give up and that choice has dire consequences on her trainer and father figure, Frankie. The film gives two examples of what can happen when people try to overcome obstacles in life. When they push past it and work hard, they are rewarded with success. However, when they give up, they are treated with failure and also fail the people close to them. This is a great life lesson to learn and provides audiences with a choice to work hard for their goals.

The effect of Million Dollar baby is to motivation people to work their hardest and to prove that they can do anything if they put the work in. When Maggie first started boxing, she was treated with insults and disapprovement. It was only with hard work and motivation that Maggie was able to rise about and get a trainer for her boxing. However, the movie didn’t show Maggie’s progression as a boxer as an easy task. There were many late nights and hardships for Maggie, but she was able to overcome those obstacles and become a boxer. Everyone in this film had to work for what they had and nothing was given out, just like in real life. It is refreshing to see real life scenarios and how to overcome those conflicts. 

        

I use Million Dollar Baby to remind me to stand up for what I believe is right and not letting other people tell me what I can and can’t do. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when the gym’s janitor, Scrap, stands up for a man who is mentally challenged. Rather than just walking away, Scrap takes it upon himself to stop the harassment, humiliation, and beating of a man. Scrap didn’t do this for pride, recognition, or reward; he did it because he knew it was the right thing to do. I remember that scene whenever I am having trouble standing up for what I believe in and I try to think about how situations not only affect me but others around me as well. The film also motivates me to do my very best.  Throughout the film it is very obvious that nothing is given to you in life, you have to earn it. Whether it be paying rent, owning a gym, or becoming a successful boxer, every single character in the movie worked their absolute hardest to get where they were in the film. I try to remember that when I am struggling in life. It is also a nice reminder that nothing is handed to you, but at the same time if you work hard then you can achieve your goals.

Movies are extremely difficult to make, but when done the right they can be very powerful. A perfect example of a great movie is Million Dollar Baby. Million Dollar Baby is a perfect example of a great film and is my favorite film because it has a complex and engaging conflict, the characters are believable and appealing, it shows how life isn’t always fair, and it motivates people to work their hardest. It empowers the audience to think about how they live and what is important to them in life, while also encouraging them to be persistent in achieving their dreams. 

Million Dollar Baby. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Screenplay by Paul Haggis. Perf. Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2004. DVD.