Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn’t prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie’s determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Maggie Fitzgerald: Hilary Swank
• Frankie Dunn: Clint Eastwood
• Eddie ‘Scrap-Iron’ Dupris: Morgan Freeman
• Danger Barch: Jay Baruchel
• Big Willie Little: Mike Colter
• Billie ‘The Blue Bear’: Lucia Rijker
• Father Horvak: Brían F. O’Byrne
• Shawrelle Berry: Anthony Mackie
• Earline Fitzgerald: Margo Martindale
• Mardell Fitzgerald: Riki Lindhome
• Omar: Michael Peña
• Billie’s Manager: Benito Martinez
• Mickey Mack: Bruce MacVittie
• Counterman at Diner: David Powledge
• Cut Man: Joe D’Angerio
• J.D. Fitzgerald: Marcus Chait
• Lawyer: Tom McCleister
• Nurse: Erica Grant
• Pakistani: Naveen
• Little Girl in Truck: Morgan Eastwood
• Paramedic: Jamison Yang
• Rehab Nurse: Susan Krebs
• Ref #3: V.J. Foster
• Ref #6: Steven M. Porter
• Rehab Doctor: Ming Lo
• Restaurant Owner: Miguel Pérez
• Ring Doctor: Jim Cantafio
• Ring Doctor: Ted Grossman
• Sally Mendoza: Ned Eisenberg
• Second at Vegas Fight: Marco Rodríguez
• Radio Commentator: Mark Thomason
• Irish Fan: Brian T. Finney
• Irish Fan: Spice Williams-Crosby
• Irish Fan: Kim Strauss
• Irish Fan: Kirsten Berman
• Las Vegas Fight Fan (uncredited): Jimmy Alioto
• Las Vegas Fight Fan (uncredited): Jason Williams
• VIP Girl (uncredited): Nina Avetisova
• Boxer (uncredited): Michael Bentt
• Boxer (uncredited): Bruce Gerard Brown
• Sparring Boxer (uncredited): McKay Stewart
• Hogan (uncredited): Jude Ciccolella
• Perez (uncredited): Kimberly Estrada
• Fight Fan (uncredited): Sean LoGrasso
• Irish Fan (uncredited): Maher McClung
• Fan (uncredited): Michael Saglimbeni
• Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited): Sean O’Kane
• Yugoslavian Judge (uncredited): Vladimir Rajčić
• Ref #5: Marty Sammon
• Irish Fan #4: Robert Maron
• Maggie’s First Opponent (uncredited): Rosine ‘Ace’ Hatem
• Maggie’s Third Opponent (uncredited): Boni Yanagisawa
• Maggie’s Fourth Opponent (uncredited): Christina Cox
• Billie’s Opponent (uncredited): Mimi Lesseos
• Maggie’s Second Opponent (uncredited): Bridgett Riley

Film Crew:

• Original Music Composer: Clint Eastwood
• Conductor: Lennie Niehaus
• Production Design: Henry Bumstead
• Editor: Joel Cox
• Casting: Phyllis Huffman
• Art Direction: Jack G. Taylor Jr.
• First Assistant Camera: Bill Coe
• Sound Editor: Bub Asman
• Music Editor: Donald Harris
• Producer: Paul Haggis
• Producer: Tom Rosenberg
• Producer: Albert S. Ruddy
• Additional Soundtrack: David Potaux-Razel
• Director of Photography: Tom Stern
• Costume Design: Deborah Hopper
• Executive Producer: Gary Lucchesi
• Assistant Director: Robert Lorenz
• Boom Operator: Jonathan Fuh
• Set Decoration: Richard C. Goddard
• Additional Music: Kyle Eastwood
• Dialogue Editor: Gloria D’Alessandro
• Sound Effects Editor: David Grimaldi
• Unit Production Manager: Tim Moore
• Stunt Coordinator: Buddy Van Horn
• Set Dressing Artist: Brian Bilson
• ADR & Dubbing: Juno J. Ellis
• First Assistant Editor: Gary D. Roach
• Grip: Charles Saldana
• Key Hair Stylist: Carol A. O’Connell
• Co-Producer: Robert Moresco
• Additional Second Assistant Director: Ryan Craig
• Casting Assistant: Geoffrey Miclat
• Special Effects Coordinator: Steve Riley
• Story: F.X. Toole
• Stunts: Mimi Lesseos
• Visual Effects: Liz Radley
• Chief Lighting Technician: Ross Dunkerley
• Property Master: Michael Sexton
• Costume Supervisor: Lynda Foote
• Rigging Gaffer: Sean Higgins
• Foley Artist: John T. Cucci
• Art Department Coordinator: Pam Cartmel
• Set Designer: Gary A. Lee
• Supervising Dialogue Editor: Lucy Coldsnow-Smith
• Steadicam Operator: Stephen S. Campanelli
• Still Photographer: Merie Weismiller Wallace
• Color Timer: Kurt Smith
• Script Supervisor: Mable Lawson-McCrary
• Studio Teachers: Judith M. Brown
• Electrician: Terry Kramer
• Digital Producer: Darin McCormick-Millett
• First Assistant Sound Editor: William Cawley
• Hairstylist: Deena Adair
• Makeup Artist: Nancy Hancock
• Construction Coordinator: Michael Muscarella
• Leadman: John Schacht
• ADR Editor: Nicholas Korda
• Sound Mixer: Walt Martin
• Stand In: Mark Thomason
• Carpenter: James R. Lord
• Assistant Editor: Michael Cipriano
• Rigging Grip: T. Daniel Scaringi
• Production Coordinator: Karen Shaw
• Second Assistant Director: Donald Murphy
• Foley Mixer: James Ashwill
• Visual Effects Coordinator: James D. Tittle
• Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: John Lacy
• Driver: Robert Aaron Brown
• Transportation Captain: Charles Ramirez
• Dolly Grip: James D. Wickman
• Negative Cutter: Mo Henry
• Set Costumer: Ann Culotta
• Craft Service: Nancy G. James
• Camera Loader: Trevor Carroll-Coe
• Production Office Assistant: Paulina Quaranta
• Propmaker: Robert Silcock
• Set Production Assistant: Scooter Perrotta
• Transportation Co-Captain: Dillin Craig
• Transportation Coordinator: Keith Dillin
• Best Boy Grip: Doug Wall
• Production Accountant: Jason Gondek
• Assistant Camera: Matthew A. Del Ruth
• ADR Mixer: Thomas J. O’Connell
• Swing: William A. Barry III
• Special Effects Technician: Ante Dugandzic
• Second Assistant Camera: Bobby McMahan
• Extras Casting: Tony Hobbs
• Second Second Assistant Director: Katie Carroll
• Assistant Property Master: Scott M. Anderson
• Set Painter: Christine Fegley
• Sound Mix Technician: Brian Magerkurth
• Assistant Location Manager: Elisa Ann Conant
• Assistant Accountant: Rose Mesa
• Production Assistant: Lucy Ramirez-Ewart
• Technical Advisor: Don Dinkins
• Assistant Production Coordinator: Susan Hartmann

Movie Reviews:

• Wuchak: ***Female “Rocky” with a downbeat and contradictory close***

  Released in 2004 and directed by Clint Eastwood, “Million Dollar Baby” stars Eastwood as a cantankerous boxing trainer who owns a working class gym in Los Angeles, which is maintained by one of his former boxers, the narrator of the story (Morgan Freeman). A waitress from the sticks of Missouri (Hilary Swank) shows up and asks that Frankie (Eastwood) train her, which he refuses to do because she’s too old at 32 and he “doesn’t train girls,” probably because he had an unexplained falling out with his daughter years earlier. Eventually he begrudgingly agrees.

  The bulk of the film is basically a female version of “Rocky” (1976), except that I prefer the potent drama in this one. The three main characters are well fleshed-out with an all-around reverent tone, not to mention an occasional bit of mild amusement. Frankie and Maggie (Swank) slowly develop a father/daughter-type relationship and it’s touching.

  The third act, however, takes a left turn that is seriously downbeat. It departs from sports movie formula with a message that contradicts everything the first two acts pushed, which is inexplicable. Sure, I ‘get’ the point: A certain person basically sacrifices everything to do what’s (supposedly) best for the situation and honor the will of a dearly loved soul. Nevertheless, it’s a dark turn that leaves a sour taste because it refutes the positive message of the first two-thirds of the story.

  The film runs 2 hours, 12 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles.

  GRADE: B-/C+

• r96sk: Unreal! I didn’t expect ‘Million Dollar Baby’ to be so astonishingly brilliant.

  I’ve said it many a time before but for full context, I do not read up about films before watching them – aside from making sure the film isn’t part of a franchise, checking the run time and seeing the genre – so I was expecting this to be a cliché-filled, but still great, sports flick. It’s so much more than that.

  It’s way more deeper and has an everlasting impact that I hadn’t anticipated. Even across the opening chunk I was predicating the obvious cliché ending, but as the film progresses and, especially, as the final portion rolls around it just absorbed my total attention – I was fully engrossed… hook, line, and sinker. Some film!

  The cast are simply stunning. Clint Eastwood gives an absolutely fantastic performance, Hilary Swank is truly sensational – especially at the end, damn – and Morgan Freeman is Morgan Freeman; what an actor and what a voice, using him as narrator was a great move. Elsewhere, and though less dramatically, Jay Baruchel, Anthony Mackie, Margo Martindale and Michael Peña also feature interestingly.

  It’s quite the journey the film takes you on, which I just found utterly enthralling to watch unfold. Perfect pacing, perfect acting. I loved watching every second of it and will undoubtedly be revisiting it.

  I noted days ago that I was rather surprised to learn that Eastwood’s ‘Unforgiven‘ had been so heavily acclaimed, on this occasion with this 2004 film I am the complete opposite. I don’t care much for awards et al., but I am delighted to see all involved receive their props for this. Chapeau!

  Marvellous, just marvellous.